Tear Away The Mask
by lateVMlover
Summary: This is my attempt at a Season 4 with a return of the fugitive Duncan. Veronica is trying to make it work with Piz inspite of her misgivings. Logan is trying to be the man she deserves. How will Veronica manage the three men in her life?
1. Chapter 1

_**Prologue**_

_The goal of my story is to take the characters to logical places within the world Rob Thomas created. I want to fix some holes, but I will do so in what I think are logical ways, not fantastical. I will focus on emotional connections and internal thought processes of the characters because that's what I find the most fascinating. With television, it's up to the talent of the actors to portray the emotion. In stories, we can give the reader/viewer exactly what we want them to have. This will definitely be a LoVe story with some MaDi thrown in the mix. There will be some dramatic plot twist and a few adults scenes in the second half. I am trying really hard to create a Duncan I can stomach!_

****Setting: Immediately after Season 3** **

When Veronica got on the plane to begin her summer internship with the F.B.I., she had no idea how much would change while she was gone. She was so used to being in the center of all the events that connected all those in her life that she never dreamed that all she cared about would move on so dramatically while she was gone. She was so relieved to leave Neptune behind that she never gave much thought to how things would be when she returned. Her dad had won the election in spite of the last minute attack ads and Kane-centric intrigue. She was comfortable leaving him because she knew Cliff would help him get out of the legal tangles erasing that tape for Veronica had caused him. While she was at the airport waiting for her flight, she was even more relieved she was leaving when she caught a news report announcing the return of the Kane Billionaire's fugitive son. The report said that Duncan Kane had returned to the United States with his daughter he had allegedly kidnapped. He was currently in New York being questioned by the F.B.I. The news report was surprising; especially in light of the fact that Meg Manning's parents were shown on either side of him. Meg's mom had Duncan's daughter, Lily, in her arms. Everyone was all smiles.

"One big happy family," Veronica thought cynically. She knew that the Kane money and influence were capable of anything. She also knew that the Manning's own horrific treatment of their youngest daughter that she and Duncan had witnessed put them in a vulnerable position.

"Clarence must have finally gotten the leverage the Kane's needed to force them into their current script," she thought. "Good for Duncan."

She was happy for him. Her life with him seemed like a dream, even though it was a little over a year ago. She was just really happy that she could have the summer away from all the drama his return would cause. Returning to Neptune and contacting her would be a priority of Duncan's. She knew this as well as she knew how unprepared she was to deal with him. Filing for the F.B.I. would be just the mindless task she needed. Let the fun begin!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1: "Summer of Changes"

As Veronica was flying to her Virginia destination, she found that she was still reeling from both the news of Duncan's return and what all Logan had done before school was out. She hadn't yet come to terms with the lengths Logan showed he'd go through for her. On the other hand, she didn't understand her own surprise. How many times had he saved her, defended her, or tried to? Why did she insist on seeing him like the psychotic jackass he turned into the months after Lily was first murdered? Even when she tells herself she has gotten over the way he used to be, she knows deep down that she is always waiting for him to revert to form. She's forever waiting for the other shoe to drop that will prove she was justified in breaking up with him that first time two summers ago and running back to Duncan. How long ago that seemed.

His apology to Piz, though, after beating up Sorokin, the man responsible for her public humiliation, showed her that Logan was far from the self-centered jerk he once was a few years ago. Logan standing up and admitting he was wrong and being willing to take the consequence of his actions was the man she had seen and admired before. That was the man she saw when he told all his friends at his birthday party that she was his girlfriend, and if they didn't like it they were dead to him. That was the man she saw making sure Weevil wasn't unfairly expelled for a crime he didn't commit alone. That was the man she saw when she had a gun pointed at Beaver, and he told her she was NOT a killer. The man she saw in the cafeteria was the man she fell in love with.

A kaleidoscope of images flashed through her mind. Logan crying all over her when he finally accepted that his mother was truly dead. Logan attacking the DEA agent, thinking he was hurting her. Logan showing up at her place beat up after his own dad had nearly killed Veronica. Logan comforting her the horrible night she thought her dad was dead. Logan's hurt and betrayed look when she told him they had to break up because he was getting out of control. Seeing that same look when she was walking outside of school holding hands with Duncan. Hearing him say, "I miss you, Veronica." As she looks out the window of the plane, Veronica could not seem to stop seeing defining moments in their tumultuous relationship. She kept seeing him and the naked emotion that always seemed to come out of him so effortlessly. She was seeing his shuttered look as he told her months ago he wanted to break up. Then the agony on his face when she told him she could not get the image of Madison and him out of her head; they were through. The look on his face when she looked up the first time she kissed Piz outside of his hotel room. And finally, the victorious look on his face a few days ago when he beat up the latest man who would besmirch her honor. He looked at her, then remembering her ultimatum, he turned to Piz and sincerely apologized. Piz's face looked confused and somewhat hurt. He knew Logan fighting for Veronica yet again did not bode well for their relationship.

Piz…What was she going to do about him? She didn't feel right breaking up with him. He was such a good guy. Look what he had to deal with because of her. Although the tape wasn't as humiliating for him as it was for her, he was really embarrassed. He was a somewhat shy guy. He was horrified that someone would film a private moment between then. More so, that they would then make out like it was even more private by doctoring the film. He also suffered through Logan unjustly beating him to a pulp. When she first saw the video, she was secretly pleased that Piz suffered for what he did. However, when she discovered he was innocent, she felt so ashamed. Logan seemed to bring out that side of her. That was the side she did not like to acknowledge was really there. In her own mind, she wanted to get back to the innocent girl she was when she spent all those summer days playing with Lilly, sharing secrets. Enjoying knowing someone she reportedly cared about getting hurt did NOT fit into the image she had of herself. Consequently, she vowed to reward Piz for his suffering. The look she knew he caught her giving Logan in the cafeteria that day was something else she knew she had to make up for. She was determined to make her relationship with Piz work, despite all that had occurred. She refused to acknowledge even to herself the way she felt when Logan defended her. Nor would she think about her impatience with Piz when he insisted she walk away from a similar encounter in the same cafeteria earlier that day when Dominick was insulting her. Piz was the guy for her. He was better for her. Look what she brought Logan to. She only brought out his violent tendencies. He was wrong about them. They were not epic in a good way. They were a doomed epic romance. They were not good for each other. No matter how strong the feelings ran on either side, sometimes love was _not_ enough. Growing up meant making the smart choice; Piz was the smart choice for her. Logan would soon realize his life was less complicated and angst- filled without her. They were both better off apart from each other.

As the summer progressed, Veronica made a conscience effort to communicate more with Piz. She owed it him. She began emailing him and sharing more of herself. They talked on the phone too. However, it was through email that Veronica was able to share more of herself with him than she had previously. She finally told Piz all the details about Beaver and how Logan had saved her. She wanted him to understand why Logan was so protective. She told him about how they were close friends-The Fab Four- years before they dated. He already knew Logan's dad had killed Lilly Kane, Veronica's best friend. She did not betray Logan's confidences, but she did make it clear to Piz that Logan's dad had been a horrible father to Logan. Logan had been through a lot even before finding out his dad had murdered his first love.

Although Piz loved the fact that Veronica was finally revealing more of herself, her confidences didn't really work to reassure him that Logan was her past. Instead, Piz began to feel guilty that he'd approached Veronica so soon after her break up with Logan. Even though Logan had started dating Parker first, he knew that women take longer to get over painful break ups. The way Veronica looked at Logan after his fight with the Sorokin guy, defending her yet again, now took on new meaning for Piz. Once again Logan proved the lengths he would go to in order to save or protect Veronica. Piz remembered, too, hearing about Logan purposely getting arrested just so he could beat up Mercer and the other guy who tried to rape Veronica. Although he didn't think that particular rumor ever reached Veronica. Logan did not seem to care about the consequences to himself. Just like in the cafeteria he had laughed off the latest threat made against him by Sorokin. Veronica had told him the guy was "connected" but that did not stop him from punishing the man who dared hurt Veronica. The guy's death threat did not seem to faze Logan either. The violence and the passion that seemed to surround Veronica and Logan's relationship was something some of Piz's favorite songs were written about. It was the type of relationship that Piz found a bit intimidating. He wasn't sure how to handle the many implications Veronica's new confidences revealed.

Piz just couldn't get the picture of Veronica's face after Logan did that out of his mind. The look on her face showed Piz that she still cared about Logan and his defense of her meant more to her than she would admit. Piz did not think Veronica was purposely lying to him or leading him on. He just now understood clearly that Veronica never admitted a lot of things about her feelings for Logan-even to herself. Piz didn't know where their relationship was heading after learning all this, but he knew he was cautiously optimistic. Veronica had no contact with Logan all summer and seemed determined to keep Logan at a distance, despite Logan's attempts. Piz knew, however, that if she didn't seem in to him when they were together again, he was going to cut his losses. Some things were fated and some things were not. His momma didn't raise no fool!

While Veronica was getting settled in Virginia, Logan and Dick decided to finally move out of the Neptune Grand. Logan's fight with Piz, break up with Parker, and fight with Gory Sorokin made him realize a lot of things. Veronica was never going to take him seriously and truly open her heart to him as long as she saw him as a hotheaded, immature, jackass who expected people to cater to him. Living at a hotel gave him no responsibilities or real sense of home. He was tired of drifting and waiting for Veronica. Even after apologizing to Piz, Veronica made no move to contact him before she left. Nor did she really initiate contact with him as the summer progressed. Logan believed with all his heart that they were two sides of the same coin and would find their way back together. However, when it happened he wanted it to be forever. He needed to finally become the man Veronica deserved. He needed to eradicate any qualities that he had inherited from dear ole' dad. Moving out of the hotel was his first step.

He bought a four bedroom beach house with Dick. He could have bought it alone but buying a house on the beach was extremely expensive, and he didn't want to spend so much money. He thought a beach house was too extravagant and did not want to become a Hollywood cliché. However, he and Dick looked at so many houses a mile from the beach and many closer to campus. Unfortunately, they could not agree on anything. They could have gone their separate ways. However, neither of them wanted to do that. Veronica never really cared for Dick or his friendship with him. But that didn't matter much to Logan. Dick was there for him when no one else was, not Veronica nor Duncan. He never once questioned him back in high school when he began dating Veronica. He never stopped being his friend when his dad turned out to be a murderer. Nor did he once fail to have his back when they were at war with the PCHers. When Veronica torpedoed him, it was Dick who cared enough to keep him from completing self-destructing. Dick with his uncomplicated, unwavering friendship was the closest thing he had to a brother. He'd always thought of Beaver has his little brother too because he'd spent so much time at their house. Last year was tough for both him and Dick. Dick's loyalty, though, meant a lot to Logan. Dick was not ready to be on his own, and Logan was not one to abandon his one true friend.

Dick could have gone back to his frat house. Lately, Dick had spent a lot time with his dad. His dad insisted they spend time together before his tenure in the big house began. These father/son moments always left him melancholy. He ended up thinking so much about what a failure he'd been with Beaver that he could not stand the thought of living with guys who never even knew his brother. Not to mention, he did not trust Logan to take care of himself now that he was single again and still hung up on Veronica. He thought when Logan was dating Parker that Logan had finally seen the light. But when he once again beat up two guys in less than a week because of Veronica, Dick knew that some things would never change. Logan would need someone to pull him back from the edge the next time Veronica destroyed him. Dick thought that was inevitable. She was rich guy kryptonite after all. However, now that Duncan was back, he may have to rethink that. Everyone knew Ronnie was behind Duncan's clever escape with his and Meg's baby to begin with. It's a good thing Veronica was still with that Piz guy or Dick would be worried now that Duncan was coming home. He'd hate to relive those triangle days from high school. Seeing Logan suffer was bad enough. He didn't want to watch Duncan and Logan suffer. Or even worse, the two of them fighting over her yet again.

Wallace had been all set to go to Africa, but he found out right before he was to leave that he had flunked one of his classes he needed to pass for his degree. He was stuck going to summer school. He was really depressed, especially when his mother started dating this loser. The last guy she'd dated seriously had been Keith Mars. That is why he was not prepared when his mom began dating a man that was a complete phony and a first class jerk. She was so oblivious to the man's obvious flaws. She couldn't even seem to acknowledge how controlling he was with her. Wallace and his mom soon began fighting about her horrible taste in men. He was staying at home for the summer, as most campus students did not stay on campus unless they were international students or had nowhere else to go. Wallace was beginning to think he might not survive the summer.

After a few weeks into his summer vacation, right before he was to start summer school, he was flying his model plane on the beach when he literally ran into Logan. Logan was carrying his surfboard. Wallace's plane really intrigued Logan, and soon Wallace began showing off his baby. Logan asked him if he wanted to come over his new place for dinner. He was going to grill some steaks. Logan asked him to bring the plane, so he could show Dick.

For Wallace, the invitation was like someone had thrown him a lifeline. Veronica and Piz were both gone for the summer. Most of his basketball playing friends went home for the summer. Between fighting with his mom, the looming bum deal of summer school, and being without a close friend to talk to, he was fast becoming really depressed. Depression wasn't a state of mind he was accustomed to. He and Logan were never close friends, but after taking a class together last school year, Wallace felt they were finally friends. Logan's defense of Veronica with Sorokin impressed the hell out of him. He had been angry with Logan for hurting Piz, but when he'd seen the video he'd understood. Unlike Piz, he knew the turbulent history of Logan and Veronica. He was kind of surprised Logan had not hit Piz sooner. When Logan beat up Goyra "Gory" Sorokin, the guy responsible for humiliating his best friend, he was sorry he did not get to see it and grateful for Logan.

It was not easy being Veronica's best friend at times. She frequently put herself at risk and refused to ask for help when she most needed it. He could never repay Veronica for her act of defiance when she cut him down from that flag pole the day he first met her. That was the very worst, most humiliating moment of his life. Veronica not only did that but she took on the PCHers on his behalf and won. Growing up in Chicago, he found Neptune like a foreign land at first. Veronica was the first person to befriend him and make him feel like he had a place at the school. Most people did not understand their friendship-they seemed like an unlikely pair. That never mattered to either of them. Since then, there was not anything he would not do for her. Nor was there anyone he respected or loved more outside of his mom and brother. Lately though, his respect for his mom was waning.

Spending that evening with Logan and Dick was such a boon. Dick was not someone he'd ever cared for due to his complete surfer image and overall jerkiness. They could not be more different from one another. However, that day Dick's complete puppy dog friendliness and enthusiasm for Wallace's plane was such a relief from the gloomy fog he had been in. He realized that knowing what he knew about Logan that Logan would not be so close to Dick if Dick did not have more to him than meets the eyes.

He ended up spending the whole weekend with them. Logan had two extra bedrooms. They played video games, ate too much, and swapped stories. Eventually, Wallace let it slip about hating his mom's new boyfriend and how miserable his summer had been so far. That's when Dick started sharing some of his many horror stories about his dad's women. They ended the night teasing Logan about his fling with Dick's last step mommy. Logan's embarrassment and maybe even shame was obvious, so the guys eventually switched topics.

It was Dick and not Logan who suggested Wallace move into one of their spare rooms for the summer. Dick said he'd have someone to hang with when Logan became Veronically depressed. Logan ignored his pot shot, but quickly offered his own invitation, pointing out to Wallace that he could use another thinking man around the house. Dick was not much of a deep conversationalist most of the time. Not to mention someone else would be there to help veto some of Dick's harebrained party plans. Logan thought Wallace would be a welcome addition to their humble abode. Wallace didn't give them long to wait for his answer. He moved right in. He was so relieved to get away from the fighting with his mom that he did not give it too much thought. It was an escape. And it turned out to be one of the best decisions he ever made.

The threesome was often a foursome even before Duncan came back home. Mac had a fun time with Max, but she quickly realized she had no future with a man whose main goal in life was to help students cheat. They broke up a few weeks after Veronica left for Virginia. Mac was more upset about her lack of pain over the break up than the actual break up. Although he was not her first, he was the first guy since Beaver that she felt she loved. They had so much in common and such chemistry. She was so surprised he was only surface deep. In retrospect, she realized she probably did not love any of them. At least not love with a capital L. After watching Logan and Veronica suffer, she was in no hurry to fall in that type of love anyway.

She first went over to Logan's new place to give the guys an update on the quarter earnings of their website. At first Dick's asinine ass jokes really annoyed her. However, she soon realized jokes like that from Dick were as natural to him as breathing, and he honestly could not fathom why they would be construed as being offensive. Eventually, she learned not to react and began to relax around him. She realized Dick was harmless and often entertaining. After the drama filled year they all had, getting worked up over Dick's jokes seemed like a waste of time. She also finally saw firsthand why Logan kept Dick around. It was like he needed Dick in a way Mac never expected. Dick did a good job making sure Logan did not get lost in morose thoughts like he was often prone to do. Dick brought out a light hearted side in Logan that Mac only ever saw when he'd been with Veronica. This was a Logan she really liked. She wasn't sure how Veronica would feel about Wallace becoming such good friends with Logan. Or even how she would feel about Mac hanging out at his house. However, Veronica being Veronica, she would not be quick to get upset. The lore of Logan's beach house was hard for Mac to resist. Growing up with only a younger brother and mainly having guy friends who only wanted to talk to her about computers, she found hanging out at Logan and Dick's with the three of them to be a fun, novel experience. She imagined that it must be what it feels like to have older brothers.

Mac found herself spending most weekends with the guys playing video guys, arguing with Dick, or just hanging. Wallace tried to teach her basketball when he insisted they all play two on two. That was an episode in hilarity. Veronica would have gotten a kick out of seeing her attempt at the sport. Logan and Dick trying to teach her and Wallace how to surf was even funnier. Wallace, being a natural athlete, did not have much trouble mastering the art of surfing. She, however, lost count of how many times she almost drowned herself. Or how many times the guys almost drowned when they fell off their boards laughing at her. Things were at a relaxed even keel until they had an unexpected visit from the elusive Duncan Kane...


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2: The Return of Duncan Kane

It was Saturday afternoon the first week in July when Mac stopped by to see what the guys were up to. She no longer knocked because she discovered early on that Logan rarely could be bothered to answer the door, and Dick wouldn't if he was in the middle of anything. Wallace was the only one with any real door answering etiquette. One out of three odds wasn't good. She discovered many times just how bad the odds were when she was left waiting forever. Or occasionally, she'd call later after she left to find out where they were, only to discover that they were home all along. Now she just went in. The guys didn't care, and they were so used to her being there on weekends that they made a point of being decent.

She thought back to one of the first visits she had early on when they weren't so careful. She had dropped by on a Sunday morning because she and Wallace had plans to go grocery shopping. He begged Mac to go shopping with him because he couldn't deal with Logan and Dick's take-out only existence. He needed real substance! That particular Sunday visit was the one and only time she caught one of the guys less than prepared for her visit. Dick had come into the living room dressed in only a towel. Mac laughed as she thought about it now. However, when it actually happened, she was so horrified. What made her laugh now was remembering the look on Dick's face when he saw her. He was such a flirt and always comes across as completely self-assured. Nevertheless, when he saw her that particular morning, he was so shocked he was speechless. Mac meant to turn away or cover her eyes, but the sight of a glistening, wet, naked (or nearly so), perfectly formed male body had some type of weird affect on her. Neither of the two guys she'd been with had a body like Dick's. Not to mention, dorm room settings do not give off nearly the light of a window-filled beach house on a Sunday morning.

It was a good thing Wallace soon appeared. Mac and Dick seemed to be frozen and unable to end the more than awkward moment. Wallace, of course, found their behavior hilarious when he came upon the still picture of the two of them. He laughed and teased her all morning. Luckily, she and Dick managed to eventually put the incident out of their minds-or pretended to. The guys never came in the living room undressed, and Mac made sure she only went to the beach with Dick when he had on his surfer wet suit. If a picture of Dick in a towel, sometimes crept into her mind, she figured it was okay. She was only human!

So on this particular Saturday, she entered the boys' house with the confidence her frequent visits had earned. She smiled as she heard their raised voices.

"No, Dick we are NOT turning the extra bedroom into a private porn viewing room!" Logan said with annoyance.

"I'm with Logan on that one, Dick," Wallace interjected. "I wouldn't be able to look my momma in the eye when she asks me if I am behaving myself," he said with a shudder. Although Dick and Logan couldn't exactly relate to that, they'd spent enough time with Mrs. Fennel to understand his feelings.

"Then we should turn it into a game room. We can get a pool table or foosball table," Dick responded without missing a beat.

"I like that idea!" Wallace exclaimed.

Logan kept shaking his head. "No guys. We are home owners now. We've got to think like adults. The spare room must be a guest room! Mac shouldn't have to sleep on the couch whenever she crashes here. Or whenever someone else comes for a visit, they should have a private place to sleep!"

At this point Mac drew their attention by interrupting with a protest, "Guys, that is so unnecessary! You should see the closet I have for a room at my parents. You're overpriced couch is insanely comfortable. Logan, you're not even twenty-one yet. Don't get too old and stodgy on us. A game room sounds like fun."

Although she meant well with her input, it served instead to fire up Dick and Wallace even more. She rarely ever saw Dick so impassioned. He rarely challenged Logan on anything. She wasn't sure he had it in him to stand up to Logan. Obviously, that was not true. Unfortunately, Logan had dug in his heels and refused to budge.

"If you wanted to live in a frat house, then you should've moved in with your frat brothers!" he yelled at Dick.

Things were starting to get ugly when Mac interjected. "Excuse me." They ignored her or didn't hear her. "I said EXCUSE ME!" All three pairs of eyes looked at her in surprise. They had never really heard her raise her voice. "I may have a compromise."

"Please, by all means…" Logan said indicating with his hands that she should explain.

"Why don't you let Logan have his guest room, and you turn the dining room into a game room. The kitchen is big enough for your needs. There's a bar stool counter area and a small table. You've yet to buy a formal dining room set for the dining room anyway. Being that you're all bachelors, I don't anticipate you throwing a dinner party anytime soon. The dining room is big enough to put a wet bar and a pool table in or whatever. It's actually probably a bit bigger than the extra bedroom."

The guys looked at her in stunned amazement. Then Dick got a big grin and came over to her. He picked her up in a big bear hug and swung her around. "Macster, you are the smartest woman I ever met!" He exuberantly kissed her on the cheek before sitting her down. Mac was embarrassed and began to feel her face heat up. It got worse when Wallace decide to follow Dick's example and picked her up in his own bear hug. The embarrassment came to an end when a loud voice said, "Well, some things never change!"

They all immediately looked up at the voice and stared in amazement to see the elusive Duncan Kane standing in the foray. "I rang the bell and no one answered," he said. "I heard raised voices, so I knew someone was home. My dad told me you'd gotten your own place. I hope it's okay that I dropped by."

Logan was the first to recover and warmly embraced his one-time best friend. "Of course, it's okay! I can't believe you're really here. When you left, I honestly did not think I would ever see you again. Dick and I saw the report of you being back in the U. S. We thought you were still in New York with those F.B.I. guys being interrogated."

"I got into Neptune on Friday morning. Lily and I are staying with my folks. It's good to see you guys. Hey, Dick." Dick went over to clasp shoulders with Duncan.

Logan was momentarily preoccupied after hearing Duncan say "Lily and I". At first, he forgot Duncan had named his daughter after his much loved late sister. It was disconcerting to hear Duncan say her name again after all this time. "Things change," Logan reminded himself. Looking at Duncan as Duncan greeted Mac and Wallace, he took a moment to observe the physical changes in Duncan. He was leaner. The pretty boy prep look was completely gone. He wasn't clean shaven, and his hair was both darker and longer. The eyes and the smile were the same. But there was an edginess or hardness about him that had not been there before. He had an air of suppressed energy that his sister Lilly always had about her, but Duncan had never before possessed.

Mac was obviously affected by the changes in him. She never knew him that well in high school even when Veronica got back together with him. His sweetness always made him attractive to her. However, the Duncan she saw today resembled Veronica's old beaux very little. She wasn't sure how to act.

"I'm really glad Duncan wasn't like this before he ran off, or Veronica would have run off with him!" she thought to herself. Thinking about Veronica brought so many other concerns to her mind that she couldn't handle them all and decided to quickly make her escape and let the boys catch up. Wallace must have felt some of what she was feeling because he followed her out the door.

"Is is just me, Mac, or is Duncan completely different? And I don't mean just in looks," Wallace said.

"I know exactly what you mean," Mac responded. "In high school, he and Logan seemed as different as you and Dick. Both their close friendship and their falling for the same woman struck me as odd, especially when Veronica began dating him senior year. Now he seems more like Logan."

"Yes! That's it!" Wallace exclaimed. "I didn't know them when they were close friends. But now they both have that repressed intensity. Duncan seems a lot harder and more aware. I never understood why Veronica was so hung up on him 'cause I never found him that interesting. He said all the right things, but he seemed a bit distant from everything. But he treated V well and made her happy. That's all I cared about."

"Yea, I hear you," Mac responded. "However, I just hope the change in him doesn't cause Veronica's heart to go pitter-patter. We do not need another year of drama!"

"I feel you, girl! Let's go get some ice cream and forget about this for a bit. My head hurts. I gotta save my brain power for the last few weeks of my summer class. Besides, Veronica won't be home for another month. We can worry about all this much later!" Wallace declared.

Back inside, Duncan had been filling Logan and Dick on how he'd gotten to come back to the U.S. As expected, his family had begun putting pressure on the Mannings about six months ago to quit using the "kidnapping" word in context with Duncan. Their investigators uncovered a teacher's report to child welfare concerning the youngest Manning daughter, Grace. Disturbing art work and uncharacteristic outbursts in class had concerned a teacher at her school. When the girl's best friend told her parents what had been confided in to her at a sleep over about being locked up for hours, the heat on the Mannings came to a boil. Threats combined with bribes got them to finally work with the Kanes. Meg's mom wanted it in writing that Duncan would move back to Neptune and allow them visitation rights. Duncan said that until they quit locking their daughter up he'd be present at every visit. Things really went his way when the middle daughter, Liz, shared what she had in her possession. She had Meg's diary that had clear wishes expressed in it that Duncan and she raise their baby together and that her father never get a chance to exercise control of their child. Meg's sister used the diary to blackmail her parents into loosening their reigns on her. They didn't believe her, and she contacted the Kanes about the diary.

The Mannings agreed to not pursue custody as long as they were allowed to build a relationship with Lily. Duncan's expensive, over priced lawyers got the charges reduced down to a slap on the wrist and a hefty fine. He must take parenting classes, go to college, and allow his "responsible" parents to aid in the rearing of the child for at least the immediate future. Duncan did not like that requirement, but he knew that it was better than being completely cut off from all that was familiar. In a year, they would meet with the judge to examine his progress and evaluate how Lily was doing. He had been willing to agree to pretty much anything if it meant he and Lily could come home. "You don't realize how much home means to you until you no longer have one," he told them earnestly.

"I know exactly how that feels," Logan told him, thinking about how his home life both fell apart in high school and then his home literally burned down.

"Yea, man, I know you do. And I gotta say that, now, I totally get why you were so angry and disappointed in me the last year I was here. I now realize Veronica was not the whole reason. You lost your family and your home, and I was not there for you. Then when Veronica broke up with you, I never tried to be your friend again. Instead, I chose to chase after her. Of course, you more than anyone may be able to understand why I'd do that," he said with a grin and a wink.

Logan smiled and said, "Yea, I know Veronica's effect on the male libido. We've been broken up for months, but I don't think I'll ever quit missing her."

Duncan nodded his head in sympathy. He continued, "But I am sincerely sorry for what a lousy, spineless friend I was. Part of my detachment was all the drugs my mom had the doctor give me. It numbed me, and it took away my empathy. I wasn't there for Veronica either, nor Meg. I am completely ashamed when I think about my behavior after Lilly died and my treatment of Veronica even before she died. I'll never understand why Veronica ever took me back. I was so relieved to discover she and I weren't siblings after all that I never took the time to really think about what was best for all of us. Once again, I just thought of myself."

"Hey, DK, no one is more ashamed of their behavior in high school than I am," Logan responded. "I treated Veronica much worse, and she still forgave me. She's an amazing woman. How could we not love her? When your life is a dark hole, it's only natural that we'd cling to the bright ray of sunshine she represented."

"I don't deserve a second chance with you, Logan, but I hope for Lily's sake you'll give me one. It's important to me and my sister's memory that you know my daughter, her namesake. I want you to be her godfather. If anything ever happened to me, you are the only one, besides Veronica, that I would trust to make sure my parents or Meg's parents didn't ruin her," Duncan finished fervently.

"Duncan, I'd be honored to be Lily's godfather. If you're sure that's what you want."

"It is, man. I'm going to ask Veronica to be Lily's godmother. But first, I gotta hear you say that you really forgive me and that we can move forward after all that's happened."

"I will forgive you if you can forgive me for being such a jackass the last two years of high school. Your sister's death and Veronica's response to it poisoned me and turned me into someone I despised. All those times you were there for me before that cannot be erased. You always gave me a place to stay when my dad was being his normal "charming" self. You never judged or pushed. You, me, Lilly, and Veronica had too many good times to forget. I think if we both agree to not let Veronica or any other woman come between us, we can be close friends again." Logan finished this reaching out his hand toward Duncan who grabbed it with a grateful smile.

"Dudes! This may be a total chick flick moment, but I gotta say 'Broes over hoes!'" Dick exclaimed with a grin. "Wait! Before you both attack me, no, I was _not_ trying to call Ronnie a hoe! It was an expression! I'm just saying babes come and go, but your broes are always there. We gotta have each other's back!"

Duncan laughed and said, "It's a relief to see Dick hasn't changed too much! Now I feel like I'm really home! Give me a tour of your new place and catch me up. Starting with why Veronica's two best friends are hanging out with you two twisted dudes and no Ronnie in sight…"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3: Veronica's Homecoming

Logan and Dick's beach house saw some good times the last six weeks of the summer. Wallace managed to master his summer class despite all the fun. Duncan was relieved to discover that Logan really meant what he said and treated him with the same affection he used to. However, Duncan noticed some obvious changes in Logan. His humor no longer carried that stinging bite Duncan had gotten accustomed to after Lilly's death. He seemed more at ease and comfortable in his own skin. The restlessness that always pushed him into trouble seemed gone. There was a tinge of melancholy and introspectiveness that seemed to come upon Logan at odd times. He noticed that Dick was quick to pull him out of it. As the summer progressed and Logan began to open up to him, he started understanding where it was coming from.

Duncan did not quite know what to think about Logan and Dick's friendships with Wallace and Mac. Everyone at school had always liked Wallace, so he wasn't too surprised that they'd become friends with him, especially in light of the fact that Wallace was Veronica's closest friend. Wallace had explained how he'd ended up living with them for the summer. Wallace also explained Veronica's absence.

What really surprised Duncan was Mac's continual presence at the beach house with the guys. He had a few AP classes with Mac in high school. He knew Logan had AP English with her also. Mac and Logan got to know each other when Logan was dating Veronica. He understood that. Normally, though, after a guy and girl broke up he no longer stayed close to his ex's friends. Also, Logan wasn't one to have friends that were female. Most females in his life wanted a certain type of relationship from him. Duncan couldn't recall any girl who was just friends with him. Veronica was the only one that managed that back when Lilly was alive. He and Meg had been friendly, but not very close, and they never hung out unless she was dating one of Logan's friends. Mac's obvious real friendship with both Dick and Logan was a puzzle to Duncan.

Learning about the website Mac had designed for Logan surprised him and revealed a side of Mac he did not know was there. Seeing Mac so at ease with Dick, however, was at first strange for him. Veronica never had much patience with Dick. Mac came across as more reserved than Veronica. He was constantly surprised to observe how comfortable Mac was with the guys, especially her easy affection with Dick. None of them were dating her; although he did notice Dick's eyes lingering on her sometimes, and he seemed very concerned with her opinion. Mac, though, seemed to treat all the guys the same. She was at first reserved with Duncan. But when he started bringing Lily over, she quickly warmed up and began treating him with the same friendliness and ease.

The guys and Mac loved having Lily around. The guest room quickly became filled up with a play pen and toys the guys were constantly buying for her. They were determined to both make up for lost time and to spoil her rotten. Duncan got such a kick out of watching them with Lily. For so long, it had been just the two of them. Seeing his beautiful daughter bask in their attention convinced him that he had made the right choice coming home. His parents were too reserved with Lilly. The demonstrative affection she encountered at the beach house with his friends was what she had been missing since they had left.

He also believed that Lily's unconditional love and affection were a healing balm to both Logan and Dick. He knew the loss of Beaver and the things he'd done affected them both. However much Dick seemed the same for the most part, Duncan knew better than anyone how much a loss of a sibling affected a person. Dick and Beaver were always together. Dick always gave Beaver a hard time, but Lilly always ragged on Duncan, too. Duncan knew how much Lilly loved him, just like everyone knew not to mess with Beav, and where Dick was invited, Beaver would be right behind him. To invite Dick was to invite Beaver, just like Duncan and Logan used to be.

Lily's presence also served to clear away any residual awkwardness between him and everyone else. Watching Dick and Mac play with Lily, provided Logan and Duncan a good atmosphere to catch up on the past year. He told Logan about all the places they'd been and how lonely and scared being on the run had been for him. He was forever looking over his shoulder, terrified Lily would be taken from him. Logan told him about saving Veronica from Beaver and about how much closer they had become when they began at Hearst. Talking about her was not as weird as he figured it'd be. It was kind of like loving and losing Veronica Mars was a club of which they both were members. Duncan was not overly surprised to hear that Veronica's continual push to unravel yet another dangerous mystery put her in harm's way. He was upset to learn about her near rape. However, it was Dick and not Logan himself who told Duncan about how Logan had personally punished the guys responsible for hurting Veronica. Logan wasn't one to brag about things that really meant something to him so not a lot of people even knew about it.

Duncan did not know what to think about the things Logan didn't say. Logan told him he had messed up with Veronica, letting Duncan believe it was his fault entirely that they had broken up the last time. However, one evening when Dick and Duncan were alone, Dick made a comment about Logan finally recovering from all the crap Veronica had put him through last year. Dick was worried about Logan becoming unraveled again when Veronica came back home. When Duncan expressed his surprise, Dick eagerly told him about how Logan tried to let Veronica go when she kept putting herself at risk last year investigating the rapes on campus. It made Logan crazy to think of her being hurt. He was helpless to help his mom when she'd been alive. Veronica was the most important thing in his life, and he could not watch her recklessly bringing danger unto herself. Logan had actually broken up with Veronica, but a few weeks later she sucked him back in. They seemed tighter than ever. Then Logan made the mistake of admitting he'd slept with Madison when Logan and Veronica had been broken up over Christmas break. Logan stayed drunk for the first month or so after she'd dumped him. Dick knew from experience how pushy Madison could be when she wanted something. It had always made her crazy that both Duncan and Logan preferred Veronica over her or one of the other 09er girls. Dick expressed disgust at Veronica holding Logan to her impossible standard as if she was little Miss Perfect.

Duncan's head was still spinning from all the information Dick revealed. Wallace had mentioned his roommate Piz being a deejay in New York for the summer. But it was Dick who had told him that Piz was Veronica's rebound guy. Although personally, Duncan thought the Piz guy was lasting a lot longer than a rebound guy was supposed to. Then again Veronica wasn't one to bail on a relationship if she thought it would work. Dick also took immense pleasure in revealing that Logan had beat Piz to a pulp when he thought Piz had recorded him having sex with Veronica. Then Dick told him about the beat down Logan gave the guy who was actually responsible. When Duncan inquired if Veronica and Logan had gotten together after that, Dick had informed him that as far as he knew she'd left for Virginia still with the Piz dude. But all the drama had taken place right before she'd left for the summer. As far as Dick was concerned, she'd probably be back messing with Logan's head again as soon as she got bored with the Piz guy.

Hearing all about Logan and Veronica's turbulent relationship brought Duncan a lot of mixed emotions. He never loved anyone the way he loved Veronica. Unlike Dick, he understood why Logan couldn't easily walk away from Veronica. If it had not been for Lily, he knew that he would have never have left her. He knew, too, that he would always love her. However, he also knew that he was not the same man he had been when he was with Veronica. He could tell from what he heard that she had been through a lot. Having lost so much himself and being without the support of his friends when he and Lily were on the run changed him. For one, he wasn't so quick to walk away from people who meant so much to him. He let Logan down before and vowed he'd never do that again. Taking close friendships for granted was not something he ever planned on doing again.

He wanted to reconnect with Veronica. Lily getting to know her was important to him. At one time, he'd fantasized that he and Veronica would raise her together. He and Veronica had not really broken up. He just had to leave, and she risked everything making sure he got away clean with Lily. Unfortunately, it was apparent that things were not finished with her and Logan either. Duncan did not know this Piz guy, but it sounded to him that Piz was never the one protecting or defending his girlfriend. Logan was doing that even after Veronica broke his heart. This time Duncan promised to be the friend Logan and Veronica needed. He would wait and see how things were when she came back. If it was clear there was something between Logan and Veronica still, then he would keep his distance. Lily was now the most important thing in his life. Creating a safe, happy life for her was his number one priority. Everything else was secondary. Causing friction between Logan and Veronica would not be the best thing for Lily. Doing what was best for her was what was important. Duncan never really gave Piz much thought. As far as Duncan was concerned, Piz was a nonissue.

The woman in question was excited to be finally be heading back home. She was surprised to discover how much she missed Neptune. There were some things she did not miss, but she hated being away from her dad. Although her dad frequently left for trips chasing bail jumpers, they had never spent so long from one another. She could not wait to see him. She was also looking forward to catching up with her friends. She hadn't heard as much from Mac and Wallace as she had Piz. She knew Wallace got stuck taking a summer class instead of trekking off to Africa, and he was not happy with his mom's new boyfriend. The last email he'd sent said he was doing better now that he'd survived summer school. He'd saw Mac and Logan some she knew. Mac mentioned once being at the beach with Wallace and his plane. Veronica also knew Mac kept in contact with Logan due to their website. Although Mac had told Veronica she had broken up with Max, Veronica didn't detect a lot of pain behind that revelation. "But I am an expert at hiding pain, so who's to say Mac isn't either?" she thought to herself.

Coming off the plane and through her gate, she was ecstatic to see her dad waiting for her. "There's my girl! Who's your daddy?" he playfully asked holding open his arms.

"Oh, Daddy, I missed you so much! You and your corny jokes!" She quickly embraced him for a long hug.

"Back Up has been moping around all summer. He's waiting for you in the car."

"I'm glad to be back. I missed him and everyone. But you the most, of course!" she said with a grin.

"But of course! I _am_ an incredible dad!" he declared as he picked up her luggage and began the long walk out of the airport and to the car. "And now with my newly elected position, I can support you in the manner you deserve!"

"Did you get me a pony?" she asked him with a mischievous grin. It was a long standing joke between them.

"Nope. I reserved you a suite in the very fine residential hall at Hearst!" he stated modestly.

"What?" Veronica asked.

"Yep, I put your name in a hat for a dorm room on campus. Now that all the ugliness is out of the school, and I'm making more income, I want you to quit wasting so much time commuting back and forth. You deserve to have more time for your friends," her dad explained.

"What, I'm not even home yet and you're already kicking me out?" Veronica joked with a smile.

"Hey, you know it's not like that. Classes don't start for a week or so. I was just so excited to tell you that it might have come across wrong. I'd love for you to live with me always. But I know that if we'd had the money last year, you would have stayed on campus with Mac and Wallace."

"I know, Dad. I was just teasing you. You're right. Living on campus will save me time and gas money. But I will need to be off campus some to keep the office open."

"No, honey, you won't. I know you're going to be upset with me, but I closed down shop. I do _not_ want you spending any energy doing P.I. work this year. Last year was not the freshman year I had envisioned for you. You were brave and clever solving the Dean's murder. However, your investigations into the rapes and the Castle were reckless and at times short-sighted. You didn't have enough sense to come to me or ask for my help. I spent all summer dealing with the Kane's lawyers over the charges I entailed keeping you out of trouble."

"But Dad," Veronica tried to protest.

"No buts, Veronica. I not only closed Mars Investigation, but I made sure the space was rented out before you came back. I realize you are a grown woman and a licensed investigator. I hope spending the summer with the F.B.I. gave you a worthy goal to strive toward. Risking your future over things that other people like me are better equipped to handle is not something I am going to allow to happen again!" Keith insisted.

"I'm sorry, Dad that I've put you through so much. I can't promise to not do any investigating. But now that you're the Sheriff I can trust the law in Neptune to do its job."

"That's right. I have the right stuff, baby, and don't your forget it!" he said with a grin.

"How did your battle with the Kane's lawyers end?" Veronica inquired as they finally made it to the car, and she greeted Back Up who was overjoyed to see her.

"Very well," he responded as he put her bags in the car. "The return of the prodigal son put the Kanes in a better mood and gave their attorneys something more to focus on. However, I think when Duncan came home and heard that his parents were once again trying to ruin me, he put his foot down."

"Really? Why do you think that?" Veronica asked.

"Well, I ran into Duncan a few weeks ago at the Java Hut, and he apologized for involving you in his escape with Lily and the problems his dad was causing me. He assured me that I didn't need to worry about it. Then a few days later, Cliff called me and told me that the Kanes were dropping the charges and no longer pressing the Lt. Governor to recall me."

"Wow, Dad! That's great news! I'm relieved that my shenanigans didn't cause lasting damage. I wouldn't have forgiven myself if I had ruined your career."

"Yea, all's well that ends well, as they say. So, how do you feel about Duncan being in town? You know he'll want to see you when he hears you're back," her dad said.

"Well, I want to see him and can't wait to see Lily. I'm happy he's back and not wanted for kidnapping," Veronica replied.

"You're still with Piz, right?" he asked.

"Yes, Dad. Piz is still my boyfriend. Duncan and I have been over a long time. He left, Dad. Remember-the hero is the one who stayed. Duncan didn't stay; Logan did. Logan was the one who saved me from Beaver, not Duncan. Logan was the one who kept me from being raped-not Duncan. Duncan hasn't contacted me at all since he's been gone."

"But you're not with Logan. You're with Piz?" her dad asked with a confused look on his face. Veronica's love life, especially where Logan was concerned often confused him.

"Yes, I'm with Piz. Piz is a good guy and much better for me than Logan. I know Logan will always be there for me, and I care about him. But we are not good for each other. I bring out bad qualities in him."

"I don't know about that," her dad said. "I think you have an immensely positive effect on Logan."

"Dad, he beat up a guy connected with the Russian mob right before school was out even after I told him about the guy's connections!"

"I'm guessing his violence had something to do with you?" Keith asked knowingly.

"Yes. Sorokin is the one who aired that fake video of me and Piz being intimate. After first wrongfully attacking Piz for doing it, he caught Sorokin being less than nice to me in the school cafeteria."

"So let me see if I understand you," Keith said. "Even though you were broken up for a while, Logan still risked himself defending your honor? And that is proof to you that you _don't_ belong together? Taking up for you is a bad quality?" he shook his head in amazement. "Honey, I'm not sure where I messed up. I know your mom and I didn't give you the best example of a healthy relationship between a man and a woman. But you know, if I had known what had been going on, I'd have done the same thing! Face it, honey. You bring out the protective instinct in all the men who love you! There's nothing wrong with that!"

"Protective is one thing. Punishing anyone he thinks has wronged me regardless of the facts is not anything I need. It's reckless and just plain irresponsible! Piz loves me, and he doesn't act so crazy!" Veronica insisted, obviously upset.

"Well, honey, I like Piz. He's a good guy. I don't worry much about you when you're with him. However, everyone loves differently. People who have had everything and everyone they loved ripped from them tend to respond a certain way when someone threatens someone they love. You can't be mad at Logan for loving you too much. You can't judge how a person loves. He doesn't always think. He reacts. The guys at the station told me about him purposely taking a bat to a police car just so he'd get arrested."

"See, that's exactly what I'm talking about, Dad. He doesn't think."

"Wait, Veronica. That's not the whole story. Logan did this right after the campus rapists were arrested and still being held in the Neptune jail. He wanted to get arrested, so he could get at them. The guys told me that it was the one time they were happy and in complete agreement when Lamb purposely ignored procedure. Lamb made sure he put Logan in the same cell as Mercer and the other guy. Lamb also ignored the screams coming from the cell after Logan punished them for daring to hurt you. He was able to do what I wanted to do but couldn't. Yes, it was risky and some might say foolish. But Veronica, I'm not sure you can really understand the lengths a man will go through to protect what's his and those he loves. It's a primal instinct men have. Some more than others. And some men like Logan and me have a built in protective instinct with those who are important to us. Can you really fault a man for that?"

"I don't know what to say. I never heard a word about Logan doing that."

"Not many people did. Lamb made sure Logan's actions were not made public. The only ones who knew were those who worked that day, or anyone Logan told. Logan paid for the damages to the car and donated a hefty amount to the Neptune Sheriff department," her dad explained, finishing his tale.

"Wow. I can't say I'm surprised. I wondered why Logan never came to see me after they were arrested. He never told me. But that doesn't change the present. Logan and I can't seem to make it work. If a relationship is that much work, then what kind of relationship is it really?" Veronica asked with frustration evident.

"Well, honey, the best things in life shouldn't be easy."

"I think that saying is 'the best things in life are free!'" Veronica said with a laugh.

"Free or easy-either way, it means you won't appreciate things that come too easy. You know better than anyone how little so many of the 09er kids appreciate what they have because it came to them too easily," Keith explained.

"Well, regardless, I think we've exhausted this topic. Feed me soon or lose me forever!" Veronica exclaimed with a grin more than ready to have the subject changed.

"Okay, okay! I can take a hint. Food it is!"

The next day Veronica dropped by Mac's to see her. She didn't know what to think when Mac's mom answered the door and told Veronica that Mac was at the beach with the guys. She said it in such a way that it was clear she assumed Veronica knew exactly where and who she was referring to.

"She said guys, not guy. Mac wouldn't be dating someone new without telling me," Veronica thought to herself. Veronica decided she'd drop by and see Wallace. Maybe he'd shed some light on what Mac was up to.

When Veronica got to the Fennels, she was stunned when Alicia told her Wallace didn't live there anymore. "What?" Veronica asked in amazement.

"Well, Veronica, I thought for sure he would have told you. He's living with some friends from Hearst at the beach house they own," she explained.

"Oh. We must have gotten our wires crossed. He never told me that exactly. Can you give me the address?" Veronica asked.

Veronica left the Fennels mostly confused. "Have I entered an alternate reality? Who could Wallace possibly be close enough to that he'd move in with? Who would own a beach house? Maybe some of the basketball players got together and rented a house. Yeah, that makes sense. Maybe Mac knows some of them, and she's hanging out with Wallace." Veronica's explanation to herself made perfect sense. She felt relieved to have figured out the mystery.

When she pulled up to the two story beach house, she didn't see any familiar jocks playing basketball outside. Nor did she hear loud music coming from the place. A pizza delivery guy was parked in front of the house. As Veronica got to the walk way in front, she was relieved to see Wallace at the door paying the delivery guy. "There's my Papa Bear!" she called out.

"Veronica! Hey, Superfly!" Wallace replied happily and closed the gap between them to pull her into a hug. "What a great surprise! I've missed your pixie self!"

"Yea, it surprised me, too, to discover that you were living at a beach house with some guys!" Veronica admonished.

"Ouch! Hey, sorry I didn't tell you. I figure it'd be my gift to you, letting you practice your investigating skills locating me!" he joked.

"Ha, ha, very funny! I can guess things were worse with your mom than you let on. I know when you were in the dorms you talked a lot about missing your mom's cooking."

"Well, I lost my appetite so much when my mom's loser boyfriend kept showing up for dinner that her cooking talents were wasted on me," he explained as he ushered her inside. "There are several things I need to tell you. I hope you won't be too upset with me for not telling you sooner."

Before he got any further a voice interrupted, "Yo! Fennello-Mello! We are starvin' in here! Bring us the pizza already, dude!"

"Is that Dick?" Veronica asked in disbelief. "Who exactly is here?" she asked as she walked toward the voice.

She had trouble believing her eyes when she walked into the living room. She didn't see one of Wallace's b-ball buddies. Instead, she saw Mac sitting in between Logan and another guy she didn't recognize, who was playing with a little blonde girl around two years old.

"Am I being punk'd? Or did I enter into the Twilight Zone? Did I take the red pill?" she asked in disbelief.

Mac looked up at her remark. "Veronica! You're finally home!" Mac jumped up and ran over to hug her.

"Hey, Mac! It's so good to see you! I must say I'm surprised to see you here with Dick and Logan. Why are all of you with Wallace, and who's your friends?" she asked referring to the child and man she didn't know.

"This is mine and Dick's place, Veronica," Logan answered for Mac, getting irritated that Veronica was barely acknowledging him after ignoring him all summer. "Wallace moved in a few months ago. And you know everyone here. We're _all_ your friends," he said with a familiar smirk.

"Veronica Mars, I can't believe you've already forgotten me! I thought you promised to never forget me!" the stranger said as he got up and looked at her with a smile.

Veronica looked at the guy then looked at the child in his arms. She looked around in amazement. "Duncan?"…

_So what do you think? Did I make her conversation believable between her and her dad? Even though this is fan fiction, I hate when writers stretch the characters' actions beyond belief! More to come…_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4: The Beach House

There were so many thoughts competing for dominance in Veronica's mind as she realized who the unknown man in front of her was. "Duncan? Is that really you? I hardly recognized you!" Veronica said in surprise.

"Well, I had no trouble recognizing you! You look the same. Beautiful as always!" he stepped toward her with his arms outstretched.

Veronica stepped into his embrace, still feeling like she was in a dream. "My dad told me you were in town," she said as they separated and stood facing one another.

"However, all my _friends_ failed to clue me in on a lot of things!" she said looking pointedly at Wallace and Mac. For some reason, she had trouble looking directly at Logan.

Logan refused to be ignored. "Have a seat, Veronica! We'll catch you up. I didn't realize Wallace hadn't told you he was living with Dick and me." Everyone turned and looked at Wallace quizzically.

Wallace squirmed in guilt and embarrassment as all eyes looked at him for an explanation. "Well, I meant to tell you. But everything seemed to happen so fast. One minute I'm moping on the beach alone with my plane, and the next thing I know I ran into Logan and was hanging out here with him and Dick. They had lots of room and asked me to move in. Then I had summer school; then Duncan showed up with Lily, and we were all distracted with her. I guess I figured I'd fill you in when you came home," he finished his explanation with an apologetic air.

Dick, in an attempt to take the heat off of his new friend, said, "Yeah, who knew someone who spent all his time with you could be so much fun!"

Veronica quickly popped back, "Well, who knew you were smart enough to finally see what I knew ages ago!"

Logan couldn't resist adding, "I'd have told you myself if I had heard from you at all this summer. Outside of answering my email about if you made it safely, I didn't hear a peep from you."

Before the two of them could go much further, a small voice piped up and said, "Daddy, I's hungry! Eat!"

Veronica looked down and really examined Duncan's daughter for the first time since she came in. She was so adorable. She had platinum blonde hair like Lilly and Meg both had when they were young. She had Meg's nose, but her eyes were pure Kane. It brought both joy and sorrow to Veronica. "Oh, Duncan, she's gotten so big and beautiful! I can't believe you're both really here!" She crouched down in front of Lily. "Hi, Lily! I'm Veronica, your daddy's friend. I know you don't remember me, but we've met before. You were just a baby then."

"I no baby!" she insisted.

"No, I can see you're quite the beautiful young lady," Veronica assured her.

"Lily, this your Aunt Veronica I told you about. She was your Aunt Lilly's very best friend as well as one of mine. I also hope she'll agree to be your godmother," Duncan said looking questionably at Veronica with his patented smile.

"That smile is still the same," Veronica thought, relieved that some part of the Duncan she knew and loved was still there. "Godmother? Really? You want me to be Lily's godmother? I don't think your parents would be very happy about that, especially your mom," Veronica said.

"They both already know I was going to ask you. They're so happy to have me and Lily back that they rarely say much to upset the "happy family" atmosphere. You know how good they always were at pretending," he said with a somewhat bitter smile. The bitter smile was new. Veronica saw that the changes in Duncan were more than just physical.

"Well, you're mom never quite covered her complete disdain or dislike of me even when Lilly was alive. But if you're sure it's what you want, then I'd be flattered and happy to be her godmother,"

Veronica responded, quite touched to be asked such a thing.

"Careful, Veronica," Logan warned. "You better hear who else you'll be tied to for life before you say yes. I wouldn't want to be blamed for shattering your fairy godmother dreams later on when you hear who will be Lily's godfather."

"Logan, I'm sure Veronica won't be upset or surprised to know that you agreed to be Lily's godfather," Duncan interjected easily. He was somewhat taken aback by the complete change in Logan the minute Veronica came into the house. Gone were his good humor and his relaxed air. He took on a hardness when addressing Veronica that Duncan had not seen all summer. Instead, he seemed to be more like the Logan Duncan had left behind. "This can't be good," Duncan thought.

"Logan, I naturally have no issue with you being Lily's godfather," Veronica simply stated, finally looking directly at him for the first time since she came into his place. She had avoided making direct eye contact with him since she'd been in the room. Looking at him now, she was swept with so many feelings. First, there was simple pleasure in seeing him again. She would not let herself think about how much she'd missed him while she was gone. Sharing so much history with Piz served to bring old memories to the forefront. Being once again in his and Duncan's presence brought even more. The three of them were connected in ways no one else could truly comprehend. Some ties can never be broken. Ugly memories aside, the bonds of both love and friendship are ones that are not easily erased. Looking at Logan in that moment, Veronica realized that how she responded right now would set the course for how all of them would interact from here on out. She looked down at Lily and looked toward Duncan. Then she faced Logan and smiled. "Echolls, you know that the three of us have been bound together a long time. I think I can handle another link on that particular chain if you can," she said sincerely. Then she smiled at him knowingly. "You know you're just sore 'cause you missed me while I've been gone, and in your typical Logan fashion, think picking a fight will make it all better. But I refuse to play that game." She looked down at Lily still somewhat overwhelmed to see her physical connection to her late, beloved best friend.

Logan shook off his anger. "What am I doing?" he asked himself. "I'm supposed to show her that I've grown and changed. Not snap at her and pick a fight with her like I did in high school. Those are not memories I want to remind her of." He plastered his normal smirk on and said, "Well, I don't recall us ever using chains before, but I'm all for trying new things." Dick snickered at his comment and quickly turned away when he saw Mac shoot him a dirty look.

"But you are right. I did miss you. Spending time with Wallace and Mac without you made your absence glaringly obvious," he offered, trying to put things back on the right track.

"Yeah, how is it that my two best friends ended up here with you and Dick?" Veronica asked, looking pointedly at Wallace and Mac.

"Well, Veronica, we were lost without you! What can we say?" Wallace said grinning, throwing his arm around her shoulder.

Mac reached over and grabbed her hand. "Veronica, I am sorry I was so evasive with you this summer. But after I broke up with Max, I was at loose ends and was tweaking our website. I came over here after Wallace had moved in to give Logan an update."

"She got a taste for the Dickster and kept coming back for more!" Dick said gleefully.

Mac slapped him and admonished, "You're not helping." Veronica was surprised to observe Dick's instant compliance with her unspoken request. He turned around without commenting further and began opening up the forgotten boxes of pizza.

"What Dick _meant_ to say," Mac said looking sternly at Dick, who had busied himself with putting pizza slices on plates, "is that I found the guys a good distraction from my boredom. You weren't here, and Parker went back home for the summer."

"Who's Parker?" Duncan inquired.

"Dude, she's this totally hot babe Logan dated for like five minutes. She had the good sense to dump his sorry ass!" Dick quipped.

"What Dick _meant_ to say," Mac said once again looking sternly at Dick, "is that Parker was my roommate last year. She was one of the unfortunate victims of the campus rapists. She's a nice, sweet girl from Colorado. We got along well until Logan got his hands on her. Things were strained between us when she left. I haven't heard from her all summer. I don't even know if she plans on rooming with me when school starts."

"Why would Logan dating her cause problems with you and her? You didn't date Logan, too, did you?" Duncan teased.

"Of course not! I guess Dick failed to mention to you that while Logan was going around beating up guys on Veronica's behalf, he was still dating Parker," Mac stated.

"Yep, good times!" Logan responded with a smirk.

Veronica tried to look annoyed at the reminder but couldn't. Instead, she joked, "With no PCHers here for him to fight with, he decides to pick fights with a guy connected with the Russian mob!"

"What?" Dick, Mac, and Wallace all say at the same time. "Dude, you never told me that Gory guy had mob connections! You totally rock!" Dick exclaimed proudly.

"Why are we _just now _hearing that?" Wallace asked as Mac seconded him.

"Oh, you find it annoying when people _don't_ tell you things, huh? I can't _imagine_ how that feels!" Veronica said with false cheer, lased with sarcasm.

"Okay, okay! We're sorry! You know you love me too much to stay mad at me!" Wallace said as he gave her shoulders a squeeze.

"Come and get it!" Dick said indicating the pizza.

"Yeah! Pizza!" Lily exclaimed joyfully clapping her hands.

Duncan reached down to pick up his daughter. As the guys converged on the food, Veronica pulled Mac aside and asked her for a tour.

"You know I don't live here, right?" Mac said.

"Yes, I just wanted an excuse to talk to you away from everyone else," Veronica responded.

"Let's go out onto the deck. The view is amazing," Mac told her pulling her along.

"So tell me, how was the F.B.I?" Mac asked.

"Just fine, and I'll be happy to fill you in later. But first I need details on _your_ summer!" Veronica demanded. "How did you become so chummy with both my exes and Dick-the-moron-Casablancas?"

"Hey, Dick's not a moron. Okay, he acts like one sometime I'll admit. But I've spent a lot of time with him and Logan this summer. They're a lot of fun."

"Are you sure you're break up with Max didn't affect you more than you realized?" Veronica asked, only half joking.

"Max? Please! I haven't thought about him all summer. When I saw my future as the other half of Mr. Cheater, I knew that he had to go. I guess I was lonely after we broke up 'cause I found myself over here whenever I was at loose ends. You know, Dick; he's never met a stranger. Whenever I dropped by, he and Logan always seemed genuinely happy to see me. Before I knew it, I was spending a lot of time hanging out with them. I now get why you and Wallace were so close. I've felt like I suddenly have brothers."

"Wow! I can't picture Dick or Logan as my brother, but I can say Logan definitely possesses the protective quality brothers are supposed to have. I don't like sharing my Wallace, but since it's you, I can live with it. Just don't start dating him!" she teased with a grin.

"Funny! Yea, I can promise you I won't fall in love with Wallace!" she replied with a laugh.

"What? You don't love me?" Wallace said, sneaking up behind them. Mac jumped and looked embarrassed while Veronica just laughed. "You know, Papa Bear, that we both adore you!" Veronica assured him.

"Of course! What's not to love? Once you go black, you don't go back!" Wallace declared with a smug grin.

"Oh, I gotta tell you my good news! Dad said we could afford for me to live on campus this year. He signed me up for residential housing," Veronica informed her friends.

"Cool! Now you won't have an excuse to miss my games!" Wallace said.

"Maybe, you and I can room together," Mac said excitedly. "I haven't heard anything from Parker. I don't really want to bail on her after the year she had. But I can't have her taking pot shots at you over Logan or making them about Logan either. I will email her and tell you later what she says."

"That'd be great! You know some girls just don't appreciate what a good thing they have in me! I shudder to think about getting a stranger for a roommate. With my track record, I can't imagine it'd end well. For some reason, other girls don't always like me!" Veronica said with a laugh. Mac and Wallace grinned in acknowledgment.

"So, how do you feel about Duncan being back?" Mac asked her. "It must be kind of strange for you. It's not like you guys broke up in the normal way, like you and Logan. You committed a felony for him."

"Well, Mac, you know me. I break the law for all my friends! Duncan was just the first one that had the F.B.I. questioning my involvement," Veronica declared with a smile. "But, yes, it is a bit strange to have him back. He looks so different. I am glad he's here. And I'm especially glad to see him and Logan getting along so well. They were friends again after Duncan and I got back together, but I know it hurt Logan that Duncan left him without saying a word. Duncan was just another person he cared about who let him down and abandoned him. It wasn't like that, of course, but that is how Logan saw it."

"Yea, Logan is surprisingly sensitive," Mac agreed. "I think the reason he always reacts so explosively when he's upset is because he feels so much. He never had a good example on how to handle emotions."

"Okay, that's enough! You girls are getting way too Dr. Phil for me. A brotha doesn't need to hear another brotha analyzed and taken a part. It gives me the wheelies!" Wallace exclaimed. "I want to remind you about your _actual_ boyfriend, my good friend and roommate, Piz. Have you heard from him? When is he coming back to town?"

"Yes, Wallace, I know Piz is my boyfriend. I don't need a reminder. I'll have you know that he and I have talked and emailed all summer. I shared a lot of my history with him that he didn't know. I think we're in a really good place. A much better place than we was the last few weeks of school. I'll be glad when he's back. He was going to spend a week at home before he headed back to Neptune. He was not planning on getting here until a few days before classes started. He enrolled online already."

"So he's heard about Duncan?" Mac asked.

"Well, not so much. I told him mostly about Beaver and Logan. I mentioned Duncan in context of Lilly, but I hadn't really seen much of a point in dragging the Logan/Duncan history out. I guess I didn't really think about Duncan coming home and being in our lives. I knew he was back in the United States, but I guess it didn't seem likely that he'd been back in my life so soon."

"All I know is that you are going to have to tell him something, Veronica. He's my friend, and I'll be living with the guy. I don't want to touch that whole history for nothin'!" Wallace said emphatically. He made it a policy to never get too involved in Veronica's love life.

"Of course, I'll talk to him." Veronica tried to act as if it was no big deal. However, her stomach dropped anyway. Piz had put up with a lot with Logan. She wasn't sure how he'd deal with yet another ex showing up. An ex Veronica would not be able to avoid, nor want to cut out of her life. "Why do guys have to be such girls sometimes?" she asked herself.

_I hope Veronica's return wasn't a disappointment. _


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 5: Things Heat Up

As Piz came into the dorm room he shared with Wallace, he froze in the doorway trying to take in the scene in front of him. Logan Echolls was in his room fiddling with a 32 inch TV, while Logan's friend, Dick, was laying on the bed shooting hoops with Wallace's nerf ball. Piz was unsure of how to proceed, but he gamely said, "Hey guys! What's up?"

All eyes look toward him at once. Uncomfortable, he entered into the room with his bags. Wallace stopped what he was doing and headed toward him. "Piz! I was just wondering if you'd ever get here! It's good to see you, man!" Wallace said as he moved to give Piz a high five.

"You too," he responded happily, relieved at the warm reception. He glanced at Wallace's companions inquisitively.

"You know, Logan. I'm not sure if you've met Dick. We all went to high school together," Wallace said as if explaining their presence.

"Yes, hey, Logan," Piz said politely.

"Dick, you know Piz, Veronica's boyfriend, don't you?" Wallace asked him.

"Dude, my condolences!" Dick replied with a sympathetic look.

"Not cool, man!" Wallace scalded.

"Don't be an ass, Dick!" Logan said with annoyance.

"Hey, sorry! It's just that with my many years of being acquainted with the fair Veronica Mars, I've noticed a particular pattern. Are you rich?" he inquired to Piz.

"What? Rich? Uh… No, not really, why?" Piz asked puzzled.

"Cause Mars is rick dude kryptonite!" Dick said seriously.

Wallace looked at Dick in rising irritation. "Man, you gotta watch your mouth about our girl. That's my best friend you're slamming!" Wallace knew that Dick didn't often think before he spoke, but he couldn't let that one slide.

"Dude, I'm sorry! I wasn't trying to slam her!" he insisted defensively. "I was just trying to give your boy here a head's up. I wasn't trying to upset anyone!"

"You know Dick. Open mouth, insert foot," Logan said with fond annoyance.

"Hey, let me make it up to you, dude," Dick said. "Logan and I are having a back to school bash at our beach house this evening. You should come. It's gonna be totally awesome! We've been saving up our partying this summer for this big blow out!"

"Beach house? You guys moved out of the Grand?" Piz inquired.

"Yep. We have us a totally awesome pad on the beach. Ask Wally-World. He lived there with us all summer," Dick responded with pride.

"Yes, it's a great place. We'll be there," he said to Dick and then to Piz, "Veronica will be there," knowing that was all it would take to get Piz on board.

"Well, in that case, count me in!" he said with an eager grin.

Logan didn't like that reminder and decided it was his cue to take off. "Well, I think you're ready to go with the TV, so I'm going to jet and take my annoying friend with me."

Piz looked over at the TV. "That's a nice television. Where'd you get it, Wallace?"

Dick answered for him. "It's mine. I gave it to my buddy here 'cause it wasn't being used, and I didn't want my boy's gaming skills to go to pot. Then he'll have an excuse the next time I beat his sorry ass!"

"You don't use your TV?" Piz asked.

"Not that one. This wasn't at our place. It was at my dad's place, my old home. What with my dad in jail, my brother dead, and my dear stepmother AWOL, it wasn't getting any use. I figured someone oughtta have use of it, so I gave it to Wallace," Dick explained matter-of-factly.

Piz didn't know how to respond to that onslaught of personal information from a guy he didn't know. He came from a normal, happy family, so Dick's grim family details had him at a loss. Logan saved him from answering by saying, "Well, on that note, we'll get out of your hair so you can unpack. See you later, Fennel." Logan left, dragging Dick with him.

"I didn't realize you were so tight with Echolls," Piz said after they'd gone.

"Yea, well, I wasn't really until this summer. But you know we had class together last year, and I've known him since my first day at Neptune High," Wallace said thinking back to his first encounter with Logan as he was smashing Veronica's headlights on her car. "Although when I first met him, I hated him and thought he was a total jackass."

"Really?" Piz asked, wanting to hear more.

"Yeah, he was bashing Veronica's headlights on her car with a crowbar 'cause she used him to get the PCHers off my back, which caused his psychotic dad to come down on him. Of course, none of us knew then how bad that was for him."

"What? Logan being less than nice to Veronica? How come I've never heard this tale? Veronica told me things changed for the worse after her friend was killed, but she never went into details about it."

"Well, the day I met Veronica for the first time was not a day I really like to recall. Meeting her was the only good thing about it. I had pissed off the local gang, and they had retaliated by duct taping me naked to the school flagpole. I met Veronica as she was the only one not laughing and taking pictures of me with her cell phone. Instead, she cut me down. Then she got the PCHers to leave me alone," Wallace explained with a grin at the memory.

"Wow! It seems she meets a lot of guys by helping them!" Piz said recalling his first meeting with her.

"You don't know the half of it, my friend. Getting even the toughest guy to do her bidding seems to be a gift she has. The day I first met Logan was memorable 'cause Weevil, the PCHers' leader, showed up just as I thought I was gonna have to take on the 09ers myself in order to get Logan from completely destroying Veronica's car. Weevil's guys outnumbered Logan's, and he took the crowbar from Logan and began busting the 09er's car. Then he forced Logan to apologize to Veronica!" Wallace finished his tale with a grin.

"No kidding? I would've loved to have seen that! I have trouble picturing it. The last time I saw Logan he was forcing another guy to apologize to her!" Piz exclaimed, shaking his head at the irony.

"Yeah, our girl has a way of taming the bad boys!" Wallace declared, smiling.

"You're not kidding. I have trouble imagining Logan being so awful to Veronica," Piz said in disbelief.

"Well, Logan's changed a lot. He used to be what Veronica referred to as 'a psychotic jackass'. But he's been through a lot. The two of them went through a lot together. We all have."

"Yeah, Veronica told me about some of it. I guess I understand why they've remained friends. But seeing you hanging out with him will take some getting used to," Piz told him.

"It's hard to not like a man who consistently protects Veronica and defends her. God knows, it's not a job for one man! You and I can't do it alone!" he joked. "Logan's cool once you get to know him. Outside of you, my girl's got mostly good taste!" he teased Piz.

"Har! Har! Funny, man! Just for that, you can go carry in my last two bags!"

Later that day, Wallace took Piz over to the beach house. Wallace went to talk to Dick and Logan, and Piz went off to look for Veronica.

"Hey, Wallace, do you know who that guy over there talking to Mac is?" Dick asked him pointing to a preppy looking guy across the room.

"No, I don't think so," Wallace answered. Dick looked at Logan questionably.

"He looks familiar, but I can't say I know him. He didn't come here with Mac, but she must know him. They look pretty chummy," Logan said as he watched her converse easily with the guy.

"Well, I don't know him, and I don't like the way he's looking at Macster!" Dick insisted with growing agitation.

Logan and Wallace looked over there and then glanced at each other. They were at a loss to understand Dick sometimes. Logan tried to distract him, "Did you hear what Lily said to Dick the other day?" he asked Wallace. "He was annoying Veronica as usual, and Lily looked at him obviously repeating what she'd heard one of us say. She said, 'Dick, stop bein' a Dick!' She wagged her finger at him as she said it like Duncan does to her when she's in trouble. It was hilarious!" Logan finished with a laugh.

His ploy didn't work because Dick kept looking over at Mac obviously upset. When the guy leaned over and whispered something to Mac, and she laughed Dick said, "That's it. I've gotta put a stop to that guy!"

Wallace said in confusion, "Dick, they're just talking. What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is I know what guys at parties cruising for chicks have on their minds! I don't like him having the Macster on his mind like that! It ain't right! It's our job to protect her from losers like that only interested in one thing!" Dick insisted.

"Well, I don't think Mac would agree with you, buddy," Logan responded. "If you embarrass her by going over there, she'll kill you. She can take care of herself. She's not stupid. Give her some credit, dude!"

Dick thought about it and decided not to go over there. Instead, he bellowed, "Mackie!"

Mac looked up at the sound of her name being shouted across the room. She saw Dick motioning to her. She politely excused herself from John, the guy she was talking to and went toward Dick. "You bellowed?" she asked him somewhat annoyed at his interruption.

"Who's that tool you were talking to?" Dick asked her.

"What? You bellowed at me to ask me that? What's wrong with you?" she said turning around to go back to where she came from.

Dick grabbed her arm to stop her saying, "Don't leave, Macster! I just wanted to know who that guy was putting the moves on you. We didn't know him," he said indicating Logan and Wallace.

Wallace said quickly, "Hey, leave me out of this!" He knew when to make an escape and left to get something to drink.

"Well, Dick, since you asked so nicely," Mac responded sarcastically "his name is John, and I've had some classes with him. He's a really nice guy, and I was having a nice time talking with him until you rudely interrupted us!"

"I had to 'cause I know what guys at these parties are thinking, and I don't like them thinking about you like that!" Dick insisted emphatically.

"What exactly _are_ they thinking, Dick? Why don't you tell me?" Mac knew what he was getting at, but she enjoyed making him squirm. She also wanted to see exactly how far he'd take this.

"You know, Mac. Guys just want to get into a girl's pants," Dick explained as if talking to a child.

"Well, Dick, did you ever stop to think that maybe girls are thinking the same thing?"

"What?" Dick said horrified to think that Mac might be thinking any such thing.

"Yes, Dick. Girls like sex just like guys do. In case you hadn't noticed, I'm a girl. And the last I checked, you aren't my daddy or my brother, and what I do and who I do it with is not any of your business!" After saying that, she stormed off with Dick trailing after her.

Logan shook his head, wondering when Dick was ever going to learn. He decided to go outside for some air.

Outside Piz was looking around for Veronica. He couldn't find her inside, so he figured she was outside somewhere. He couldn't wait to see her! There was already a full house and lots of bodies to maneuver around. He figured the pool and beach setting was a big draw. He finally spotted Veronica outside making sandcastles with some guy and a little girl.

Before he could go toward her, Logan spotted him and looked at the picture of the happy little family Veronica was making with Duncan and Lily. He couldn't resist going over to Piz. "Hey, Piz. Glad you could make it!" he said cordially.

Piz smiled at him in acknowledgment but turned his gaze back to Veronica. Logan saw where his attention was and grinned, saying innocently, "Ah, yes, the prodigal son has returned."

"What?" Piz asked in confusion.

"That's Duncan Kane," Logan said pointing to the guy Veronica was with. "You know. The heir to the Kane Software Empire, billionaire, former fugitive and former love of Veronica's life." He couldn't resist adding when Piz looked at him sharply, "Yep. Duncan Kane, the golden boy, my childhood best friend, the guy by which all the rest of us are judged. And in my case, judged and found lacking," he said only half joking.

When Piz didn't say anything, Logan continued, pouring it on. "Yea, I may have been the guy who beat up anyone that I thought hurt Veronica and risked myself defending her. However, Duncan Kane is the guy Veronica committed a felony for, risking twenty years in the state pen. They didn't break up so much as Duncan had to flee the country with his daughter. Star-Crossed lovers! Ah, young love!" Logan said with false cheer. "Come with me, and I'll introduce you to the prince himself."

Piz didn't have much of a choice but to follow Logan over toward Veronica. When Veronica finally saw him, he was vastly relieved to see her eyes light up. She jumped up with a welcoming smile and ran toward him.

As Veronica threw herself into Piz's arms, kissing him in welcome, Logan sauntered over to Duncan who had gotten up when Veronica did.

"So I take it that's the missing Piz," Duncan said to Logan indicating the happy couple.

"Yep. Isn't he Piztacular?" Logan said sarcastically as they watched Veronica still kissing him.

"Dude, how do you stand watching her kiss that guy?" Duncan asked in disgust.

"Well, he's not the first guy I've had to watch her kiss," Logan couldn't resist reminding Duncan. "However, when Veronica was with you, I didn't mind as much 'cause she'd always been yours, and she'd never really been mine if you get my meaning," he said pointedly.

He continued, "But after you left, she became mine. So yeah, it sucks seeing her with Piz. I can't say I didn't relish the chance I got to rip his head off. However, I take comfort in knowing she's not really his yet either."

"Really?" Duncan asked in surprise, "How do you know that?"

"Yes, it's true. When I showed Veronica the video going around of the two of them having sex, she was upset but also stunned because she told me they had never actually done that yet," Logan explained with a satisfied smile.

"Wow, she actually told you that?" Duncan asked in surprise.

"Yep. Then she went off to Virginia right after that. So it's safe to say nothing's yet changed," Logan said with a satisfied smile.

"Well, the way they're kissing that's bound to change soon," Duncan said looking at them still enthusiastically greeting each other. "However, I think if you and I put our heads together we can prevent that from happening," he said with a wicked grin.

"Why, Mr. Kane, I didn't know you had it in you! You're going to turn my head with such talk!" Logan declared with his patented smirk.

Before they could plot further, Veronica and Piz came up for air. Veronica turned toward them saying, "Piz, come meet my friends. This is Duncan Kane, the brother of my late, best friend, Lilly. And this is his daughter, Lilly's namesake.

Lily looked up at him at the mention of her name.

"Lily, this is my friend Piz," Veronica told her. Lily smiled shyly and then said, "Ronnie, play!"

Veronica laughed and pulled Piz down onto the sand. "Of course, sweetie. As long as you show Piz how to make a sandcastle. They don't have sand where he's from!"

Duncan watched with annoyance as Piz easily took his spot next to the girls. Before he caould do anything, he heard a voice say contemptuously, "Ah, isn't this a Hallmark moment! The porn stars corrupting an innocent minor!"

They all looked up to see Gory Sorokin walking toward them. He had two large, older guys flanking him. They looked ready for a fight.

Wallace saw the new arrivals and indicated their presence to Dick. The two of them quickly made their way toward their friends.

Logan couldn't believe the audacity of Sorokin crashing his party. "I guess you're wanting another beat down, huh, Gory? Once wasn't enough, I see. You must be one of those guys that get off on pain!" Logan said scornfully.

"Actually Logan, I heard you bought a sweet little pad at the beach with your murdering daddy's money. I figured my invitation to your party got lost in the mail. I thought I'd drop by to tell you how I spent the whole summer planning all the ways I was going to make you and that bitch pay for humiliating me," he responded, laughing with an evil sneer.

"Hey, man, I don't know who you think you are, but you will watch your mouth in front of my daughter!" Duncan said to him in rising anger.

"Sorry, I have no beef with you, guy. But I gotta warn you that your pal Logan here is a dead man walking. If you knew what's good for your daughter, you'd keep her from harm's way and away from him and that bitch!" he said pointing at Veronica.

Veronica was watching the scene in front of her, resisting the urge to jump up and grab her trusty tazer. She didn't want to leave Lily, though.

Duncan couldn't stand to hear any more and stepped toward Sorokin enraged. "Did you just threaten my daughter?" Duncan looked at Logan, "Did he just threaten my daughter?" he asked in disbelief. Duncan took another menacing step toward Sorokin. Sorokin held up his hands in surrender, "Hey, man, there was no threat toward your daughter intended. I was just giving you some friendly advice. If I had a daughter, I wouldn't want her hanging with someone that had a target on their backs," Sorokin finished with a smile that didn't reach his dead eyes and turned to walk away.

Duncan started to go after him when Logan grabbed his arm, and Veronica jumped up in front of him. "No, Duncan! You can't get involved! You've got to think of Lily. Logan didn't listen to me when I told him that Sorokin had mob connections. You must! I don't want you involved in this. It's not your fight," Veronica insisted.

"She's right, Duncan. You don't need to be mixed up in this. This is my mess," Logan said.

"Are you kidding me?" Duncan said incredulously. "That man insulted you, Veronica, threatened to kill Logan, _and_ threatened my daughter! _No one_ threatens my daughter! I don't care who they are!"

"Duncan, Gory's family is connected to the Russian mob. His threats aren't idle," Veronica informed him.

"I don't care who his family is or what kind of connections he has! I've got plenty of my own! I will see him put into the ground myself before I let him hurt anyone I care about. I didn't fight so hard to get home just to have an idiot like that cause problems!" Duncan insisted vehemently.

"It's not your fight, Duncan. It's mine. I caused this." Logan told him.

"How can you say that to me, man, after all we've been through? You and Veronica are more my family than my own parents! You had very little chance of keeping me out of this before. But now that Sorokin was idiotic enough to imply threats to my daughter, he's mine. And no one is going to change that fact!" Duncan said hotly.

As everyone looked at Duncan in amazement at the fire and determination they'd never seen in him before, Piz looked at Veronica. "Veronica may say she hates it when people try to fight her battles, but it's obvious a part of her gets off on hearing a guy say there's no lengths he won't go to for her. Logan was bad enough. Now there's another one!" Piz thought in disgust.

Piz was momentarily forgotten by Veronica as she looked at Duncan as if she was seeing him for the first time. "Wow! Duncan really has changed!" she thought. She was interested in seeing exactly how much…


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 6: Classes Begin

"How in the world can the two of you possibly have so much stuff?" Wallace grumbled as he and Piz came into the room with another load of boxes.

"You know, Papa Bear, a girl's got to accessorize!" Veronica said with a wink. She was so happy to be here with her friends. Teasing Wallace was one of the things she missed most while she was gone. Discovering that Parker was not coming back to Hearst this year and that she could room with Mac was such a great thing. She felt a twinge of guilt, knowing she was partly the reason Parker didn't want to return here. However, Mac seemed to be equally happy about the arrangement, so Veronica decided to give herself a break.

"Your room at your apartment didn't seem that big. I still don't see how you're going to find room for everything here," Piz insisted in disbelief as he examined the chaos the overflow of boxes was creating in the cramped quarters. "I think I pulled a muscles carrying all these boxes down the stairs of your apartment and then to here!" he grumbled.

"Oh, I think I can find a way to make you feel better!" Veronica said she sauntered over to him with a sexy twist of her hips. Piz was powerless against her when she was in one of these moods, and she knew it. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed each side of his neck. "Surely, I have something to offer you that will make it worth your wild," she coyly said as she finally placed her lips on his.

"Okay, stop it! That's so not fair!" Wallace said in protest. "He gets lovin', and what do I get?"

Mac looked at Wallace with a mischievous grin, "Why, Wallace, do you want me to kiss you and make it all better?" Veronica had looked up from Piz when Wallace started to complain, so she was in position to catch the look on Wallace's face when Mac propositioned him. She burst out laughing.

"Oh, that is too funny! You should see the look on your face, Wallace!" she exclaimed, choking on her laughter.

"I don't know if I should be insulted or what!" Mac teased.

"Uh..Well, I…" Wallace was having trouble forming words.

"Man, she was just ribbing you! Breathe, already!" Piz said laughing at his obvious discomfort.

"I knew that!" he responded, defensively. "She just took me by surprise. That's not the normal way she and I communicate. Usually she saves the torment for Dick."

"Hey, I'm an equal opportunity tormentor these days! Spending so much time around you and your two stooges has sharpened my predatory instincts!" Mac said as she grinned wickedly.

"She's gotten sassy. I kind of like it," Piz said, grinning.

"Being close friends with Veronica here, it was bound to happen eventually!" Wallace added.

Veronica smiled fondly at her friends. Last year, when she started at Hearst, she wasn't nearly as excited as she was this year. Having wanted so badly to go to Stanford, she hadn't been convinced Hearst was the right choice. She had mixed feelings when she began her freshman year. Her summer with Logan had been so perfect. Whenever she had a moment of perfect happiness, it was always followed with calamity. She shouldn't have been so surprised that her freshman year was full of so much turmoil. It seemed liked she was forever chasing a dream. However, this year was different. This year she had a part of Lilly back with her in the form of Duncan's daughter. Also, having both Logan and Duncan in her life eased a hole inside of her that she hadn't realized had been there. She felt free to really enjoy herself for the first time in a long time. Things with her and Piz were better than they'd been in a long time. This year was going to be great. She just knew it.

Two days later, classes started. Veronica had decided to change her focus a bit in her studies, so she was really excited about the psychology class she was taking. It was supposed to focus on how the mind of a killer worked. Maybe one day she'd finally understand how a man could murder his son's girlfriend and try to kill another. When she went into class, she was taken back to see Logan sitting in a desk checking his text messages.

"Hey, Logan! I didn't expect to see you in this class. Are you taking it?" Veronica inquired.

Logan looked up at her and smiled in surprise. "I didn't expect to see you either. Although knowing you as I do, I shouldn't be surprised that this would be a class that would grab your interest. It's one of the required classes for a psychology degree, and it serves as a psychology credit for pretty much any B. A. degree."

"So you decided to major in psychology?" Veronica asked.

"No, not yet. I am still unsure. I really enjoy my literature classes, too. I'm thinking about English as a focus. This semester I have a creative writing class and a 19th century novelist class. I also squeezed in my last math requirement. I figured I'd be more focused taking it the first semester than in the spring!" he said with a smile.

Veronica smiled back, knowing how antsy he always gets in the spring when the waves are at their peaks. "That's great, Logan! I'm glad you're taking your future so seriously."

"I have always taken my future seriously. I just never could convince myself that I had much of one to look forward to," he replied honestly.

"What's changed?" she asked.

"Well, a lot of things. But I don't really want to get into that now. The professor will be here soon. I want to know how your internship went. We haven't had much time to talk. Did the F.B.I brainwash you enough to convince you to like black suits?" he asked, smiling.

"It was interesting. However, I did decide for sure that I do _not_ want to be a field agent."

"Really?" Logan said in surprise. "I was getting used to the idea one day of having connections the next time someone tried to pin a murder on me!"

"Well, I attended the profiling seminar that one of the behavioral analysis units puts on. It was fascinating. To be a full field agent, you have to be very physically strong and willing to chase bad guys. Contrary to what you may believe, I don't enjoy being in danger or having violent criminals target me. I'm not even twenty-one yet, and I've already had my fill of that. What I like about crime solving is picking a part a puzzle and seeing justice served. The BAU branch of the F.B.I is a different thing. Occasionally, a member of their team may do actual field work. However, the focus is on understanding the mind of the killer so that you can anticipate their moves. They equip the field agents with the knowledge they need to set up stings and find the target."

"That sounds interesting," Logan responded, secretly relieved she had found a safer goal.

"It is. I decided I want to do a double major in criminology and psychology. That will make it easier for me to pursue a Masters in psychology with a criminal justice emphasis."

"In that case, we could end up having another class or two the same. I hope you won't mind seeing my mug so often," he said with a smirk.

She laughed and said, "I think I can handle it." An opportunity to talk further was cut off when the professor finally entered the room and began passing out the syllabus.

As Veronica and Logan we're learning about what their course load was in their psychology, Mac was in the food court killing some time before her next class. She was annoyed to hear a familiar voice call out, "Mackie-Mac! What's up?" She looked up to see Dick grinning at her with that chestier grin of his. She refused to respond and kept flipping through the newspaper, ignoring him.

Dick was not used to being so blatantly ignored by Mac. A lot of girls blew him off. However, he had gotten used to Mac always smiling and laughing with him. Even when she gets annoyed with him, he usually gets a smile out of her before she leaves. However, since a few days ago at the party at his house, she'd been giving him the cold shoulder. He didn't understand why she was so bent out of shape. She should appreciate that he was watching out for her. That's the least he could do for Beaver. No matter how whacked out he was, Dick knew that Mac was the only girl Beaver ever really cared about. Dick teased him enough about her to know that for sure. Beaver didn't even try to talk smack about her like guys normally do with a girl they start dating. When Logan didn't dish about Veronica, that's when Dick knew he really liked her. Normally, he and Dick would swap war stories. But with Ronnie, he was different from the start. Not only didn't he talk about her, no one else was allowed to either. That's when he finally realized that most guys didn't talk about girls they cared about behind their backs. Beaver cared about Mac. He knew Mac cared about him, too. He wasn't the best brother, but he knew that Beaver would want him to watch out for Mac. He didn't wait for an invite but sat down next to her.

"Whatcha doing, Macster?" he asked her refusing to acknowledge her cold shoulder.

"What's it look like I'm doing? I know most of the time you're completely clueless, but even you can see that I am reading the paper. I don't recall inviting you to sit down with me!" she said coldly.

"Since when do I need an invitation to hang out with you?" he asked with a raise of an eyebrow.

"Since you embarrassed and insulted me at the party the other night!" she replied in annoyance.

"Insulted you? How did I insult you?" he asked, genuinely perplexed.

"By implying all a guy would want from me is to get into my pants!" she told him, getting angry again at the memory.

"What? That was so NOT what I was implying! How do you chicks come up with this crap?"

"Oh, so now I'm just some chick? Well, it's good to know where I stand!" she got up to leave.

"Wait, Mac! Don't leave all mad again! I'm sorry! You know I don't think you're just some chick! Nor do I think a guy would only want to know you just to get into your pants. I just didn't like the thought of some loser taking advantage of you. I was watching out for you. Isn't that what friends do?" he asked her sincerely. "Don't leave all mad."

She looked at him and could see that he was sincere. She decided to sit down and make him understand. "John is not a loser. You don't even know him. He was just talking to me. He was not propositioning me. Even if he had been, that would not be any of your business, Dick."

"I guess you're right. I was just thinking about what I'm usually thinking of when I talk to some random chick at a party. I can't just sit around and let some guy treat you the way I treat girls!" he insisted emphatically, not realizing how that made him sound.

"Dick, have you ever thought that maybe _you_ shouldn't treat girls that way? Just because you don't really know how to treat women, does not mean all guys are like that!" Mac told him.

"Well, I know a lot of guys _are_ exactly like I am. It's the rare guy that isn't. Most guys just hide it better than I do. With me, whatcha see is whatcha get. A girl always knows what she's getting into with me. I won't be accused of breakin' hearts. I'm a love 'em and leave 'em kind of guy," he said proudly.

"Don't you ever want more? Don't you want to be with a girl that loves you and that you can love back? Surely you've thought about getting married some day and producing some little Dicks?" she asked with a smile.

"Woe! The Dickster won't be havin' any little Dicks anytime time soon! I can't even commit to a cell phone company! Besides, I can't see my genes being any that I should be in a hurry to pass on to some poor chick!"

"I don't know about that, Dick. You're not too bad. Most of the time anyway. You just need to learn how to balance yourself more. Maybe work on being a jerk less and being the sweet, fun guy I know you can be. And although I appreciate the sentiment that led you to think you were protecting me at the party, I'd appreciate it more if you'd respect me. Respect that I know what I'm doing. I know my track record isn't the best, but I am a good judge of character. At least most of the time," she said thinking, of course, about his brother Cassidy. "And really you should respect _all_ women more. That's the only way you're going to ever attract a quality woman."

"I respect you, Mac. More than anyone. Except for maybe Ronnie, she put the fear of God in me a long time ago!" he said grinning.

"That I can understand! I respect her more than anyone else, too," Mac agreed. And finally, they looked at each other in mutual accord. All was well again.

Dick was relieved. "Can I grab you something to drink?"

"Sure. An orange juice would be nice," she said as he got up. She was pleased to think that maybe her words got through to Dick. She felt proud. "Maybe guys can be taught new things. Look at how much Veronica changed Logan. Surely there's hope for Dick." she thought, looking after him with a fond smile.

As Dick came back with their drinks, he saw that Veronica and Logan had joined Mac at the table. "Dude, how's it going? How was your first class?" he asked Logan.

"It's going to be pretty cool. Veronica is in the same class with me, so it should be fun," he said with a grin. "Today, the professor just went over the course syllabus and gave a course overview."

"What time is it? I left my cell phone in my room," Veronica asked Logan. When he told her, she jumped up. "Crap! I'm going to be late. I wanted to check out the first meeting of the photography club here on campus. Since Dad closed down the biz, I know I'll need to keep myself busy, so I'll stay out of trouble."

"Yes, please, stay out of trouble! A nice quiet semester where I don't have to rescue you would be nice!" Logan joked.

"Exactly how many times have I saved your butt, Mr. Echolls?" Veronica demanded. "I gotta go. I'll argue with you later. Bye, guys!" she said as she ran off.

She made it to the photography meeting just as it was getting started. She slipped into the back behind a girl with long, black hair. The guy leading the meeting told everyone to bring any pictures they wanted to share with the group at the next meeting. Once they assess what kind of pictures each of them like to take, they'll start working on figuring out the projects and subjects to focus on for the semester.

After the meeting, the girl sitting in front of Veronica turns around and offered her a friendly smile. "Hello, I'm Jazmin Jaleno." Veronica introduced herself, and they start to chat. Jazmin seemed pretty cool. It wasn't often that Veronica hit it off with a girl on first meeting, especially a girl as attractive as Jazmin. She had this porcelain skin you rarely see on dark haired girls. However, it was her blue eyes that were so attractive. Veronica wasn't gay, but she found herself a bit mesmerized by them. It was somewhat disconcerting. She decided to do something she rarely did and extended an invitation to Jazmin to grab lunch with her at the food court.

When they got to the food court, she was surprised to see Dick and Logan still there. However, Duncan had joined them and Mac was gone. She led Jazmin toward them.

"Hey, guys. I didn't expect to see you still here."

"Yea, we were about to leave when we ran into this lost freshman asking for direction," he teased referring to Duncan. "Who's your friend?"

"Oh, this is Jazmin. We are both joining photography club. We were going to grab a bite. Jazmin, these are friends of mine: Logan, Dick, and Duncan."

The guys, of course, were a bit spell bound when Jazmin flashed a friendly smile at them. Dick promptly jumped up. "Hey, Jazmin, you can my chair," he offered with a flirtatious smile. He grabbed a chair from a nearby table.

Jazmin sat down and Duncan and Dick stared talking with her. As per usual, Logan was rarely interested in talking to anyone else if Veronica was in his vicinity. "How did you like the photography club?" he asked Veronica.

"It seems like it's going to be fun. They want us to bring some pictures we've taken at the next meeting."

"What will you bring?" Logan asked. "I'll bring some pictures I took of all of us at your place. The pictures of Lily are so cute! I also took some amazing shots over the summer in Virginia. The terrain there is beautiful," she replied.

Duncan checked his phone and told the group that he has to go. Dick and Logan realized the time and both said their goodbyes, too. As they leave, Veronica noticed Jazmin's gaze following after them.

"None of those very fine guys belong to you?" she asked Veronica.

"Nope. I have a guy. Although I must admit, I did date both Duncan and Logan at one time," she said. "Naturally not at the same time!" she clarified.

"And you are still friends with them? That's impressive. Most of my exes hate me or I hate them."

"Well, it's not easy. There's been some hating between Logan and me at times. But there's too much history, common friends, and affection really to stay too distant from each other too long. Did any of them catch your fancy?" she asked, slyly.

"I don't really go for the surfer guys. Dick was clearly one of those. He seemed nice enough though. Logan had this intensity and broodiness that I find hot, but it was obvious he could only see you!" she said knowingly to Veronica.

"Really? I didn't realize he treated me any differently than anyone else," Veronica said in genuine surprise.

"Don't tell me you're one of those girls that are so used to guys giving you all of their attention that you take it for granted!" Jazmin teased, smiling to make it obvious.

"No, not at all! But I guess with Logan, I am. I just didn't realize it would be so obvious to someone who just met us. That's something to think about," Veronica said thoughtfully.

"While you think about that, I'll be thinking about your delicious friend Duncan and all the ways I'd like to dunk him!" she joked.

Veronica laughed at her, shaking her head. Jazmin's comment was something like she used to hear Lilly say all the time. Lily loved objectifying men. "That's funny you should say that because his late sister used to always call him Donut as a nickname."

"Late sister? She's dead?" Jazmin inquired.

"Yes, she was murdered by Logan's father. She was my best friend. It happened a few years ago. I'm surprised you didn't hear the reports. Logan's dad was a pretty famous actor," Veronica informed her.

"Well, I'm from Chicago, and there's always some depressing drama or another on the news, so I make it a habit to not watch. I don't keep up with gossip either. It's just not my thing," she said.

Veronica was pleasantly surprised to discover Jazmin was refreshingly different from so many other girls she had known.

While Jazmin and Veronica are getting to know one another better, the guys were making their way across the quad Suddenly Dick said, "Dudes, look who's over there." They looked and saw that Gory Sorokin was talking across the way to some guys. The guys with him noticed their attention and pointed them out to Gory. Gory looked over at them. He smiled and made a gun with his fingers and pointed it at Logan. Then he mimed shooting him.

"Did you see that?" Dick asked. "That guy is totally whacked."

"Of course, we saw it. We're standing right here looking at him," Logan said. "I feel like I might need to go over there and give Gory another lesson in manners."

"No, I got a better idea," Duncan said. "I think it's time I bring out the big guns."

"What do you mean?" Logan asked.

"It's time I called Clarence Weidman, my dad's head of security, and get him to dig up some dirt on Gory and his family. Mob guys usually have a lot of skeletons in their closets. Let's see what he finds," Duncan said with a cold, smile. Unlike his friends, he knew that there were no lengths Clarence wouldn't go to for him.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 7: Piz vs. The Mar's Men

Veronica had finally settled in after a few weeks of class. She and Mac had gotten used to one another as roommates. Veronica learned not to talk to her when she first woke up, and Mac learned not to talk to her when she was trying to study. She was trying to get a head start on her course load so that she could focus on Piz more. Their schedules seemed to be conflicting the past week or so. She was happy that she was finally able to have dinner with him tonight. Hopefully, they'd be able to score some alone time. Mac was designing a new computer program, so they'd have to go to Piz's place.

Mac got annoyed when she was interrupted with a knock at her door. She refused to get up and just told the knocker to come on in. She was surprised to see that it was Dick.

"What's up? I'm surprised to see you on a Friday night. Don't you have a hot date? Couldn't you find a dumb little freshman to keep you entertained," she teased.

"Probably. However, freshman girls kind of bore me these days. My fraternity has a lot of girls around all the time. It gets old because they don't seem that interested in which one of us they go home with. It's like we're all interchangeable." She was surprised to see he was serious.

"What? Dick, are you telling me you don't like being treated like a piece of meat? Has hell frozen over? I thought you lived for those types of girls? If I recall correctly, wasn't your favorite thing about being a college student the fact that you had a new crop of ladies to try your charms on? Don't tell me you've went through them all already?" she asked, smiling.

"Hey, I can get 'em when I want 'em. I just haven't been overly motivated lately," he said somewhat confused by that fact.

"Really, why not? That doesn't seem like you," she asked, surprised.

"I don't know. I just can't seem to work up much interest in those kinds of girls these days."

"Ah, is my Dick finally growing up and realizing going to bed with random girls is an empty way of living? I could've told you that. Wait, I believe I _did_ tell you that!" she said with a smirk.

"Laugh all you want, Mackie. I blame you for this anyway!" he said with a disgruntled expression.

"Me? Why would I be to blame?" she asked, puzzled.

" 'Cause, your voice is always in my head these days! I didn't realize being friends with smart girls could ruin a man! Now I know why Logan is so screwed up after having Ronnie mess with his head all these years! And I thought it was just her!"

"Dick, it's perfectly normal for friends to influence friends. Maybe you've not had that many real friends besides Logan. I'll even admit that I now can't talk to a new guy without looking at them in suspicion because _your_ voice is in my head telling me they just want to get in my pants!" she informed him with a laugh. "You've ruined parties for me!"

Dick was happy to hear this. He then asked, "So you wanna go grab a bite with me? I'm bored. Logan was in one of his moods."

"Sorry, Dick, I can't. I have to finish this assignment I'm working on. I would if I could. Why don't you go over to Wallace's and see what he's up to? I don't think he has a game tonight."

Dick was happy to hear that and said his goodbyes. When he'd left the beach house, or rather when Logan chased him off in annoyance, Logan had told him he should go hang out with Wallace. But he found himself going to Mac's first. He hoped Wallace would be interested in playing some X-box with him.

Piz was not happy to get back to his dorm room after dinner with Veronica to find Dick and Wallace both in his room. He and Veronica had a nice time at dinner, and he was hoping to end the night on an even better note. Wallace hadn't been home when he'd left, or he'd have asked him to be gone. However, it was awkward asking Wallace those kinds of things because Wallace always got freaked out whenever he was forcibly reminded that his best friend was a woman. Piz usually tried to subtly inquire where Wallace would be later or what he was doing. Then he'd know if the room would be vacant. Veronica seemed disappointed, too, but knew they couldn't do much. Mac was in her room. She decided to say goodbye early and let the boys hang out. Piz asked her to go out with him the next night, and she agreed.

The next evening when Veronica meets up with Piz, he was bursting with excitement.

"Wow, you flatter a girl! You seem overjoyed to see me," she said giving him a quick kiss hello.

"Well, of course, I'm happy to see you. But I couldn't wait to tell you my good news! I didn't want to tell you over the phone, so I've been sitting here waiting for you to get here," he told her excitedly.

"So what's going on? What's your news?" she asked. Piz hasn't been this excited since his idol was coming to campus to perform a concert. "Did your favorite band get back together?" she teased him.

"No, but you're on the right track. I have joined a band!" he said with a big grin.

"Really, that's great! I didn't realize that was on your radar. Didn't you already have some guys you played with?"

"Well, playing a guitar by yourself or with just a few other guys all the time gets old. I'd like to perform and have a real goal musically. I met this guy recently in one of my music classes who told me his band was looking for a new guitarist. When I asked what type of music they played, it seemed right up my alley. Earlier today, I had a jam session to try out with the guys. It was totally awesome! We really clicked, and they asked me to join. We have our first gig next Friday at 7pm. I hope you can come!" he said.

"Of course! I'll be your number one groupie! I always wanted to date a rock star!" she teased. "I hope I can refrain from throwing my panties at you!"

He laughed at her teasing, and they go on their date. His enjoyment came to an end later that night when they made it back to his place to find Wallace there yet again. Instead of Dick, however, Duncan and Lily were there. Wallace was teaching Lily to shoot hoops with his nerf ball. He knew how excited Veronica always was to see Lily and tried not to let his annoyance at their presence show. Instead of spending the rest of the night with Veronica, he ended up having to spend it with her ex! He was beginning to get frustrated. However, before everyone left, he made plans to see Veronica the next night.

When Duncan left Wallace's with his sleepy girl in his arms, he had a satisfied smile on his face. After he put Lily in her car seat, he called Logan. "It went beautifully," Duncan said when Logan picked up.

"Really? That's great. What happened?" he asked, satisfied to hear the good news.

"Well, I made sure I brought Lily with me because I knew that when Veronica came back with Piz she'd be unable to resist focusing all her attention on her."

"How did Piz react?" Logan asked, grinning into the phone.

"He played it cool, but I could see he was NOT happy to see us when he came in. I made sure I stayed until Lily couldn't keep her eyes open anymore. Piece of cake!" he laughed.

"Veronica didn't seem surprised to see you or suspicious?"

"Nope. She didn't even ask why we were there. She came in at a perfect moment. Wallace was teaching Lily how to shoot hoops with his nerf ball. You know how powerless she is to resist Lily when she's trying something new. I did overhear Piz and Ronie making plans for tomorrow night. You're up, man!"

"Don't worry. I can handle tomorrow. We just have to make sure Wallace doesn't have plans to be anywhere. If he catches on to what we're up to, he will not be happy. Worse, he'll probably tell Veronica, and then we're dead!" Logan warned.

"No worries, man. Before they arrived, Wallace told me that tomorrow he had to finish a paper he kept putting off. He'll be home," Duncan responded.

"Great, Operation Piss Off Piz can continue!" Logan said before he hung up.

The next night Veronica was beginning to get frustrated. She and Piz had another great date, but they could not seem to find an opportunity to be alone. When they got back to Piz and Wallace's, Wallace was there yet again. However, this time he was eating pizza with Logan of all people!

"Don't you ever leave this place?" she asked Wallace, only half joking.

"Sure, but I have been working on a paper all night. Logan text me, asking if he could stop by. I told him that only if he brought me some food. A man's gotta eat! I was ready for a break," Wallace told her.

Logan smirked at Veronica knowingly. She hated that he could read her so well. "Help yourself to some pizza," Logan offered, smiling innocently.

Veronica was beginning to get suspicious. She knew Wallace was friends with Logan, Dick, and Duncan. However, this was the third night in a row she and Piz were unable to be alone together. It was beginning to feel like a conspiracy. She refused to let them derail her date again. She turned to Piz, ignoring Logan, and said, "Let's go back to my place. I think Mac said something about hanging out at Dick's to play Halo." They turned around to leave. Logan had a satisfied smile on his face. "Sometimes I impress myself," he thought, knowing what would happen next.

When Veronica got over to her dorm room, she was ready to scream in frustration. Not only was Mac there but so is Dick. They looked up when she came in. "Hey, Ronnie, Piss," Dick said casually.

"It's Piz!" Veronica corrected him in annoyance. "Piz! And you very well know that, Dick!"

"Sorry! I meant Piz. I'm distracted trying to keep up with the Mackster. We have a bet going on this game. If I lose, she says I can't wear one of my cool slogan t-shirts for a month! I'll have to buy new clothes! And I hate shopping!" he said bringing his attention back to the game.

"Sorry, Veronica, I didn't realize you were planning on coming back here. I thought you were going to Piz's," Mac said in explanation.

"Logan and Wallace were there," she responded, obviously annoyed.

"We can leave, can't we, Dick?"

"What? Are you kidding? You're ahead by ten! I'm not quitting now! No way!" Dick responded vehemently.

"That's okay, you don't have to leave," Veronica said. She resigned herself to saying good night. There was always next weekend.

Over at Logan's, Duncan and he were drinking a beer. Logan checked his phone. "Yep, Dick text me that he was at Mac's playing Halo."

"Does Dick know what we're doing?" Duncan asked.

"No. Are you insane? Dick couldn't be subtle if his life depended on it! Besides, he's more affective when you point him in the right direction without him knowing. One of the best things about him is that he's uncomplicated. He doesn't conspire or over think things. He's perfectly content going with the flow," Logan explained with a fond smile. "Besides, he's too afraid of Veronica to knowingly do anything to piss her off. Not to mention, he can't stand it when Mac is upset with him."

"Yea, I've noticed that. When do you think he's going to realize he likes her?" Duncan asked, smiling.

"With Dick, who knows? After Mac has married someone else, probably!" Logan laughed. "Nah, I wouldn't let that happen. I'll tell him eventually if he doesn't figure it out for himself. So what did your dad's guy uncover?"

"CW told me that Sorokin is a member of the Castle. Our ace in the hole will be the dirty little secret the Castle's got on him. I know my dad has a record of it somewhere. He has kept up with many of his connections from college. Most of them are Castle members. However, I thought we'd have some fun with him first," Duncan said with a calculated look.

"What do you have in mind?" Logan inquired.

"Well, CW told me that Sorokin's dad has a lot invested into Kane software. Also, his dad's investments are tied to many of Dad's other interests. I thought we'd first put him in the dog house with his old man."

"Are you going to get your dad involved in this?" Logan asked.

"No. I don't think we need to. Dad is really too soft anyway. Why else do you think he has Weidman? Dad doesn't like to get his hands dirty. He likes plausible deniability. We'll get CW to call a meeting with Papa Sorokin. He can lay things out for Sorokin."

"Weidman will do this for you without telling your dad?" Logan asked.

"Yes, CW and I have always been tight. He knows I'm the future of the company, and my dad has hired him to protect the Kane interests. Once I told him about the threat to Lily, he didn't need much convincing. CW has a daughter, so he is very protective of women. He can't stand to hear about a woman being abused. Dad isn't quite so protective. I once overheard Dad and him arguing about Veronica. Dad was trying to get CW to up the intimidation of Veronica after they'd discover the bug in CW's office she'd put there. CW insisted that he knew how to handle the situation and for Dad to butt out. It was one of the few times I ever heard anyone stand up to dad. Besides, of course, the Sheriff," he finished with a grin.

Duncan's explanation answered a question that Logan had always wondered. He knew that Veronica was convinced Weidman was the one who shot his dad after his dad got off for killing Lilly. Veronica believed Jake was behind it. Logan had never been so sure. Jake struck him as being too concerned with the bottom line. With all the police and news scrutiny he had put up with since Lilly's death, Logan was convinced that Jake wouldn't make such a move, especially so soon after his dad's release. He often thought Duncan had been behind it. He would never ask Duncan though. They had an unspoken agreement to never discuss his dad. Duncan knew he hated his dad long before his dad had killed Lilly. Even though Logan had not shed tears upon hearing of his dad's murder, Duncan would never be so crass as to make it clear that he was the one behind the murder. The fact that Duncan had been on the other side of the world gave him a strong alibi. Veronica always saw Duncan as this perfect prince charming that could do no wrong. However, Logan had caught glimpses of something else in him. He never forgot the look in Duncan's eyes that day he came in on Duncan trying to choke the life out of Jake. Although Logan now knew Duncan had epilepsy, Logan didn't believe any sickness could make a person do something that was completely against their nature. No, Veronica never knew Duncan as well as she thought she did. And if it was up to Logan, she never would.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 8: Uncomfortable Truths

The following Wednesday Veronica headed into her psychology class and saw Logan talking to a girl Veronica didn't know. Veronica could tell by the look on Logan's face that he was flirting. He had that flirtatious smile she used to be so familiar with. However, it was the way the girl was looking at Logan that convinced Veronica they weren't talking psychology. The girl looked at Logan the way a starving man looked at a juicy steak. Veronica rolled her eyes in annoyance but gamely sat down on the other side of Logan. "Hey, Logan. Who's your friend?"

"Veronica, hello. This is Trisha. She wants to be a high school counselor someday, and she likes long walks on the beach and chocolate chip ice cream," Logan said facetiously. He looked at Veronica with an innocent smile, knowing exactly what she was thinking. He saw no reason to clear things up for her. "Let her keep her assumptions," he thought.

"Hi, Trisha. It's nice to meet you. I see Logan knows quite a bit about you. Do you have another class together?" Veronica couldn't help but ask.

"No, he and I were just discussing online dating as a possible sociology project. I have a sociology class that requires us to come up with an experiment. Logan was telling me something he'd read about the increase of lasting relationships forming through E-Harmony and other sites. I told him that I'd tried it once. He couldn't resist looking me up with his phone. He was making fun of the not really original byline on my profile," she explained.

"Oh. I see," Veronica responded, feeling foolish.

"I gotta go talk to Ryan over there before class starts. I'll catch you two later," Trisha said casually, flashing Logan a flirtatious smile as she moved away from them.

"I must say, Veronica, how attractive I find you when you're all jealous and snarky!" Logan said, smirking. "It's been awhile since I've seen that particular look on your face!" he couldn't resist adding.

"I am _not_ jealous! I could care less who you talk to!" Veronica insisted.

"Sure. Keep telling yourself that! You're really good at self-deception."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, getting worked up.

"Nothing. I shouldn't have said it. I don't want to fight, especially with the meeting with the priest coming up in a few days," Logan said.

"What? Priest? What are you talking about?" Veronica asked in confusion.

"Oh, did you forget about how you agreed to marry me the other night after those shots of tequila we downed?" he said earnestly.

"What in the _hell_ are you talking about?" Veronica can't help but raise her voice, demanding an explanation.

"Wow, it's really easy to yank your chain these days!" Logan said, laughing. "I was just messing with you. I can't believe you didn't know what I was talking about and couldn't resist teasing you! I'm referring, of course, to our meeting with Duncan and the priest about Lily's christening. Our role as godparents requires our presence. The priest wants to impress on us the seriousness of the job eccetera," Logan finished explaining, still smiling at Veronica's reaction.

Veronica flushed in embarrassment. "Yea, you really had me going for a minute there. I am obviously _not_ getting enough sleep these days. The comment you made about my reaction to Trisha really threw me." Then she gave him a dirty look as a thought occurred to her. "You did that on purpose, you rat! Talk about a sneaky way of changing the subject! You can't make accusations about me and then change the conversation, preventing me from responding."

"Of course, I can. Watch. So you did know about the meeting Duncan set up with the priest, didn't you?" he asked, knowing she'd be forced to answer.

"Yes, he mentioned it to me, but I forgot the date. I'm glad you said something. Where exactly is it and what time?" she asked, trying to remember if she had plans with Piz Friday. She knew Wallace had a scrimmage or something basketball related, so Piz was probably going to go watch him play. As long as someone was there to support him, she didn't feel too guilty for missing a game. He'd understand. Besides, she didn't think scrimmages really counted.

"The meeting is at 6 p.m. at the Kane's. Duncan's parents insisted on it being at their place, so they can make sure everything goes the way they want. I think since they couldn't stop Duncan from selecting us as godparents, they want to exercise control where they can! The priest is the same one who christened Duncan and Lilly, so he's like a family friend. The Kane's have him over occasionally for dinner."

"Please tell me I do NOT have to sit through a dinner with Duncan's mother? That will ruin my whole weekend!" Veronica exclaimed.

Just as Logan planned, she was completely distracted from her previous train of thought. "It's nice to know I haven't totally lost my touch!" Logan thought.

"Don't worry. I made sure Duncan told his parents that we all had dinner plans. I figured we could grab some dinner afterwards. The three of us haven't hung out with just us since Duncan's been back," Logan told her.

"That sounds great!" she said as the professor came in and started class.

The next evening Piz kept looking at the clock, not understanding why Veronica hadn't showed up yet. He told her he played at seven, but he figured she'd show up early and support him. He was really nervous. Wallace had a game and couldn't be here. He texted Veronica, "_Where r u?"_ She responded fairly quickly, "_Eating dinner with Logan and Duncan_." Piz was astounded. Not only did she blow him off, but she readily admitted she's with two of her ex-boyfriends. He was too upset to text her further. He knew if he didn't want to embarrass himself during his first public performance with the band, he has got to get his head on right. He pushed thoughts of her out of his mind and tried to focus.

The next morning Veronica called Wallace to ask how his game went. Wallace told her all about it and then asked Veronica, "How did it go with Piz?"

Veronica answered in confusion, "Piz? What do you mean? Last night Logan and I met with Duncan and the priest to discuss Lily's christening."

"Uh, Veronica, I'm referring to that fact that Piz had his first gig with the band last night. He told me that you were going to be there. I had a game and felt okay missing his debut because you were supposed to be there cheering him on. I figured you'd bring Mac, too. Are you telling me that you weren't there?" Wallace asked, getting upset.

"Oh my God! I _completely_ forgot! He told me about it earlier in the week. However, I didn't think about the date being the same one Duncan had set up the meeting with minister on. I'd forgotten about Duncan's plans until Logan mentioned it in class on Wednesday. He must be so mad! Oh no!" Veronica wailed, realizing something else.

"What?" Wallace asked.

"Last night around seven Piz texted me and asked me where I was. He was probably wondering why I wasn't there. I just thought he was asking me what I was up to so we could make plans for later. I told him I was having dinner with Logan and Duncan! I feel sick. I can't imagine what he must be thinking!" Veronica said, angry with herself.

"Well, I'd be getting over here and asking him. He should be back here in a few," Wallace informed her. "I'll make myself scarce when you get here.

A few minutes later, Piz came into his room to see Veronica sitting on his bed. She smiled tentatively at him. "What are you doing here?" Piz asked, still very upset. "Don't you have something better to do?"

"Piz, I am so sorry! I completely forgot about your gig! I called Wallace this morning to ask him about the game, and he asked me how it went. I did NOT blow you off! Please, don't hate me! When you told me about your gig, I had every intention in coming. I had forgotten that Duncan had set up a meeting with the priest for Lily's christening Friday evening. I didn't remember until Wednesday when Logan reminded me during class. I never saw you Thursday or Friday, so your band's performance _completely_ slipped my mind. I swear! I actually thought you were watching Wallace at his basketball game!" she explained fervently.

Piz looked at her and could see she was visibly upset. But he was so disappointed. "You weren't at church when you texted me. You said you were having dinner with Logan and Duncan. Do you know how that made me feel? Here I am about to do something I waited my entire life to do and all I wanted was to have the woman I love there to support me. But where was she? She was out having dinner with her two exes! Come on, Veronica, what do you want from me?" he demanded, his pain obvious.

Veronica was trying not to cry. She couldn't believe the mess she's created. Piz had put up with so much from her. She needed to make him understand. "Please, Piz, you have to believe me. I would never be so heartless. I care about you too much. After all you've put up with concerning Logan, do you honestly believe I'd throw him in your face like that after blowing you off? Do you not know me at all?" she paused, looking at him. "It was an honest mistake. One that I sincerely apologize for. I hope you can forgive me and let me make it up to you. I really want to hear you with your band."

Piz could see that she was sincere. He could also tell she was about to cry. He hated when women cried, especially when it was a woman as strong as Veronica. He began to feel bad for upsetting her. "Okay, Veronica. I forgive you. I probably should've called you to remind you. I was just focusing so much on the gig and practicing the last two days in all my spare time. There will be other performances." Veronica looked at him in relief and threw her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly. "We're practicing this afternoon if you want to come watch," he offered.

Veronica wished, not for the first time, that her life wasn't so complicated. She took a deep breath and looked at him and said, "Uh, actually, I can't make it this afternoon. I promised Lily I'd take her to the zoo. But let's have dinner or something tonight. I'll make it up to you," she said with a flirtatious smile.

Piz wouldn't be cajoled so easily. He couldn't resist asking, "You're taking Lily to the zoo? Just the two of you?"

Veronica answered, "No, Duncan naturally will be there, and Dick and Mac I believe. At least it sounded like that was the plan. Dick loved the monkeys. He and Mac said they wanted to go when they found out we were going. If you didn't have to practice, you could come, too," she offered, trying to make it clear that it was no big deal.

Piz didn't like fighting with her and decided to let it go, figuring that tonight would be soon enough to see her. He was just getting a bit tired of having to be penciled in. Wasn't _he_ the boyfriend? Shouldn't he come first sometimes?

Later that day, Duncan was enjoying taking Lily to the zoo. It wasn't something they'd done before. Zoos weren't as popular overseas. Australia had an outback, but Lily was too young to visit. He was glad he could share the memory of her first zoo trip with Veronica. He regretted the fact that Veronica's role in Lily's life was regulated to occasions and not the day to day. "If I hadn't run, but I had stayed and fought for Lily in court would she still be mine?" he wondered as he watched Veronica with Lily. Duncan knew that a person had no way of knowing such things. Life often took unexpected turns. He remembered so clearly all the many times he, Lilly, Logan, and Veronica had spent together. Logan was so wild for his sister-no matter what stunt Lilly pulled or the games she played. Duncan never dreamed that one day things would splinter and shatter. Nor that Logan would fall for Veronica. But Veronica had changed so much after Lilly died. Duncan knew that it was that new version of Veronica that Logan fell for. Since she had changed so much, Duncan couldn't help but wonder if they would have inevitability split had he stayed in Neptune.

The day at Logan's party when he had first discovered Logan and Veronica had somehow managed to get together despite all the previous hostility between them was forever imprinted in his mind. For a second, he had actually felt like he couldn't breathe. He was so stunned. When he had left, all he felt was such rage and betrayal. Although he knew he couldn't be with Veronica because at the time he believed she was his sister, the thought of Logan being with her was more than he could handle. He honestly couldn't say if he was angry at her for finally moving on or for Logan for daring to love the person who loved him first.

Lilly's death derailed all three of them. They were just trying to find a way to survive. Duncan knew that Veronica was probably better for Logan than his sister would have been, as much as he hated to admit that. Lilly had been far from ready to settle down and often hurt Logan because she wouldn't admit that to him. And Logan, once he knew what or who he wanted, never wavered or second-guessed himself. Just seeing the way he still was completely in love with Veronica after all that had gone down was evidence of that.

He wasn't completely sure if he was messing with Piz for Logan or for himself. He just knew that a part of him could not allow Veronica to be with someone who did not know or love Lilly. How could this Piz guy truly ever know Veronica if he didn't know Lilly? If he didn't know what all Veronica went through? Nothing would convince him that Veronica belonged with that guy. He could tell that Logan believed Veronica belonged with him. Logan had not told him that in so many words. However, Duncan knew him too well. He was shaken out of his revue when Dick came up to him.

"Dude, Lily needs to go to the bathroom and so does Mac. The monkeys are over by the bathrooms. Can we take her for a bit? We'll meet you over there by those benches," Dick said pointing to the benches next to the entrance on their left side.

"No problem. Veronica and I will be waiting for you." Duncan could've suggested they stick together; however, he wanted to talk to Veronica alone.

"Alone at last," he said to her with a smile.

She looked at him and laughed. "You're right. We haven't spent any time together with just the two of us since…" her voice trailed off, remembering.

"Since we said goodbye, the day I left in that apartment next to yours. Even then, Lily was there with us!" he observed, smiling at the memory. "Do you remember what I said to you?" He couldn't stop himself from asking what he knew he had no right to ask.

Veronica looked at him, hoping that their relationship could survive the conversation Duncan seemed determined to have. "Yes, of course. You were my first love. A girl _always_ remembers her first love!" she answered playfully, trying to keep things light.

Duncan refused to let her. "I told you that I loved you, that I always had and that I always would." His eyes bore into hers, determined that she see him once again. He lifted his hand to her cheek. "I was just now wondering what might have happened if I hadn't left. If I had instead stayed and fought for Lily and for you, would we still be together?"

Veronica knew that one day they would have this conversation. At one time she knew exactly what she would answer. But now...she honestly couldn't see a life with Duncan. At least not the kind of life she had once daydreamed about. She put her hand on top of his hand that rested on her cheek and said, "If you had loved me enough, you would have stayed. If I had loved you enough, I wouldn't have let you go."

Duncan looked at her, realizing the truth of her words. He dropped his hands and took a step back. He turned away for a moment. "Maybe she's right," he thought to himself. "No, this isn't how it should end. I've got to say it all, finally." He turned back. "I was young and terrified of losing my daughter. I felt so much guilt over Meg. Guilt for her death-she stayed on that bus because of me. I felt guilty, too, for how I let her love me knowing that you were the only woman I had ever really loved. I love you still." He took a step back toward her, placing his hands on her shoulders as he said the last sentence.

Veronica looked at him for a moment and reached up on her tip toes to place a soft kiss on his mouth. The touch of her lips was fleeting. She looked at him with a smile and responded, "You love me still the way I still love you, Duncan. Not as a man loves a woman. You love me the way a man loves his first love, his best friend, and the best friend of his beloved sister. I am _so_ happy to have you back in my life, but you know deep down that if you had loved me enough you would not have left. You would have come back sooner. I went back to you our senior year more out of memory of what was. I don't regret it, but after you left and I was with Logan again, I finally realized that truth. You and I were over before Lilly ever died. I hope hearing that doesn't hurt you, but it's true," she said sincerely, if not regretfully.

Duncan didn't say anything for a moment. Something became really clear to him. She may be right, but that's not what he realized. What he realized was something Veronica refused to admit aloud or at least say to him. "I am an idiot for not seeing this sooner," he thought. He said apologetically, "I'm sorry for bringing this up. I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable, but I felt compelled to get it off my chest. You may be right. If I had loved you enough, I would have tried a different way. My parents have too much money for me to have so easily assumed I'd lose her in the courts. How did I so easily leave you?" he wondered. He paused for a moment and then continued, "Maybe I shouldn't ask this, Veronica, but I get the feeling that whatever you felt for me paled in comparison to what you later felt for Logan. Am I right?"

He could see that his question caught her off guard. She looked uncomfortable. He decided to let her off the hook. "Don't worry. I don't need you to answer that. I shouldn't have asked. It doesn't matter anyway. You know that I'm here for you and that I meant what I said when I first saw you again. I want you to be in Lily's life, and I want you and Logan both to be in mine. I hope what I said didn't mess that up."

She smiled and him and reassured him that nothing had changed. As they stroll over to the benches to wait for their friends, she thought about their conversation and what he asked her. She feels a warmth when she was with Duncan. A nice, comfortable feeling like a warm bath. She hadn't been completely sure that all her old feelings for him were gone. However, when he touched her cheek and told her that he still loved her, she knew. It became so clear. Logan always felt like he was her second choice or that she had been with him simply because Duncan left. She never really knew how to convince him otherwise. But now being with Duncan and hearing him say what he said, she had no doubts. What she felt for Duncan did pale in comparison to what she felt when she was with Logan. He made her angry, frustrated, crazy, and devastated. But he also made her feel alive, energized, exhilarated, joyful, and passionate. Oh, the passion she felt for him when she was with him! Just thinking about it made her uncomfortable in her own skin. It made her wonder if that was why she'd yet to take that final plunge with Piz. What if she doesn't feel with Piz what she felt with Logan? What if she does? Is she really ready to face a future without Logan? Because she knew being with Piz would cement things between them and build a wall between her and Logan. Is she really ready to let him go?

_To Be Continued.._.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 9: Piz Finally Gets Pissed!

Veronica was so relieved that her dinner date with Piz went so well. It seemed that he really did forgive her for not going to watch him perform last night. Now they were heading back to his dorm room. "So are you _sure_ Wallace won't be there this time?" she asked with a grin.

"Absolutely! I told him after the misunderstanding over last night that we needed some alone time. He promised to return late!" Piz said with a satisfied smile.

As they got into his room, he grabbed her around the waist and began to kiss her. Just as he was starting to get into it, a phone rings. It's the room's phone. He tried to ignore it, but the ringing was really obnoxious. He stopped kissing Veronica and went over to it and answered with an annoyed, "Hello?..No, Wallace is not here." He hung up without saying anything else.

"Where were we?" he asked her with a grin.

"I think we were just about here," she said as she pushed him back onto his bed and began to kiss him. Soon she was on top of him. Before things can get much further, _her_ phone rings. "I swear it's a conspiracy!" she screamed in frustration.

"Ignore it!" he demanded.

She does. Piz took off his shirt, and Veronica took off hers. Then she resumed kissing him. They rolled over, and he was on top. As he began to unbutton her pants and pull down the zipper, there was a knock at the door. He ignored it. The knocking persisted. He heard a voice say, "Dude? Are you in there?"

Piz answered in annoyance, "Go away whoever you are!" He began kissing Veronica again. Then he heard the voice much closer, "Oops! Sorry dude!" He looked up to see Dick and Logan in the doorway. Talk about a mood killer. He said to them, "What part of 'go away' did you not understand?"

"Sorry, dude! We thought it was Wallace messing with us!" Dick explained, with a grin.

Veronica looked up, and her eyes locked with Logan's. She quickly sat up and grabbed a pillow and held it in front of her. She was horrified! She looked back up at Logan. He was just standing there, as if frozen. The hurt in his eyes was tangible. Dick said, "Sorry, Piz, Ronnie. We're outta here!" He turned to leave and noticed Logan still standing there looking at the scene in front of him. He grabbed Logan's arm, "Dude, are you coming or what?"

Logan looked at Piz for a moment and then back at Veronica. He said with disgust, "I am _such_ a fool!" Then he gave her a look filled with disdain and scorn and finally left with Dick.

Piz could see that Veronica was visibly shaken by Logan's departure and comment. He sighed in disappointment, "It's always going to be him, isn't it?" he asked her.

Veronica was shaken out of her thoughts by his comment and looked up at him. She realized that she was letting her mask slip. "What? No! That's not true!" she insisted. "I'm with you because I want to be. Logan and I were over a long time ago."

"Are you over? Really? Because that isn't the feeling I'm getting. He seemed awfully upset for a guy who knows it's over!" Piz said sarcastically.

"I'm not responsible for how Logan looks or feels!" she exclaimed. "I was shocked to have them come in on us at that particular moment. Who wouldn't be? Don't make it out to be more than it is. I'm sure Logan was just surprised that's all."

"Why should he be surprised? We've been dating for months. He knows you're not a virgin, doesn't he?" he asked pointedly. "But what is really telling, Veronica, is the way you react with him. Just like that day in the cafeteria with Sorokin, your face says a lot when you look at him!" He stopped and said nothing for a moment.

Veronica began to panic. She was not ready for this conversation, especially not after the one she had earlier with Duncan. She had to reassure him. She got up and fixed her pants and went over to him. Her hands snuck around his neck. "Piz, I am with _you_, not Logan. Logan and I are not good together. I've told you that, and I've explained why. If you can't trust what I say, then I'm not sure what type of relationship we can have. We can't let him come between us. It's _you_ that I care about and want to be with!" She leaned toward him, hoping that he'll kiss her. Instead, he took a step back.

"Don't try to turn this around and make out like it's about me-that I'm overreacting! You really can't see it, can you?" He looked at her in realization. "How can anyone be so clueless, especially someone as smart as you? He is _always_ between us! And he always will be as long as he is a part of your life! You're going to have to make a choice. Either you're my girlfriend or you're his "friend". You cannot be both anymore!"

Veronica quickly began to get annoyed. "Wait just a minute! You can't tell me who I can and can't be friends with!"

"Oh, I can't, huh? I thought you said you didn't want him to come between us and that it was _me_ you cared about! If that's true, then what's it going to be, Veronica? If you really want to be with me like you said, then you've gotta make a choice. It's him or me!" he demanded, vehemently.

She was momentarily speechless. For someone who always has an easy quip, she was at a loss on how to respond. She didn't want to break up with Piz, but his request was impossible for her. She looked at him and tried to answer, "Piz..I..uh..I'm not sure..."

He cut her off, "Don't bother, Veronica. Logan is wrong. _I'm_ the fool! Why don't you think about it and get back to me when you figure out what the hell you want!" With that parting shot, he grabbed his shirt and stormed out of the room.

"How did things become such a mess?" Veronica said to herself. She dressed quickly and headed back to her room, knowing that she had to talk with Mac.

The next day, she was getting breakfast in the food court alone because Mac left early to have breakfast with a friend. Veronica scanned the tables and saw Mac. She was sitting with a guy Veronica didn't know. "I can't believe Mac is holding out on me!" she thought. She was debating whether or not to go over to her when she spotted Duncan at a table. She headed toward him instead. "Fancy meeting you here, Mr. Kane. Was your cook too busy to make you an omelet this morning?" she teased.

Duncan looked up and smiled, "Good morning, Veronica! Please take a seat. I was running late this morning for my early class and didn't get a chance to eat at home. As you very well know, the cook is _never_ too busy for the Kane heir!" he joked. "I came here after class to grab a bite before my next class. I'm taking eighteen hours to try and make up for the year that I'm behind."

"Poor Duncan, all study and no play! I guess that's what you get for skipping out on graduation and backpacking across the globe," she said with a small smile.

"Yea, 'cause that's what I was doing, trying to get out of finals at Neptune High!" he laughed. "So what's new with you?" he asked, noticing she looked a bit pale. "Are you okay? You look a bit pale."

"I'm okay. Rough weekend. I didn't get much sleep the past two nights."

"Is everything okay?" he asked, concerned.

"No, Duncan, it's really not. Piz is mad at me, and I think Logan is too."

"Oh, I'm sorry. What happened?" he asked. Now he was beginning to understand why Logan wouldn't return his calls this weekend.

"I will spare you the details. Suffice to say, I've made a mess out of things. I've managed to hurt Piz and probably Logan without even trying."

Duncan reached over to put a sympathetic hand over Veronica's. He decided to tell her a story about Lily, knowing that will cheer her up.

While he is doing that, Piz came into the food court. Like he did whenever he entered a room, he scanned it for Veronica. He stiffened when he saw her. She was having a cozy chat with another ex. He started to head toward them, determined to stake his claim. However, he stopped when he saw Duncan put his hand over hers and lean in to her. Duncan said something to her and Veronica laughed. Piz looked at the picture they made for just a moment and then turned and left in disgust.

A bit later, Veronica headed into class with trepidation, unsure of how to act with Logan. Nor does she know how he might react to her presence. She decided to act as if nothing happened and see how he responded.

Logan was reading a book when she sat down next to him. "Hey, Logan," she said with false cheer. Logan didn't respond. She tried again. "Earth to Logan! Good morning!"

He finally looked at her with disinterest. "Hello, Veronica." He said nothing else and went back to his book.

Veronica was unsure of how to proceed. It had been a long time since Logan ignored her. She had gotten so used to having him look at her with that easy affection he reserved for those close to him that his coldness and disinterest threw her. Not one to give up, she plunged ahead. "Logan, please look at me. Are we going to talk about what happened on Saturday or what?"

He gave her a disdainful look. She wanted to slap him. Pushing aside that impulse, she said, "I'm sorry for what you walked in on." She waited for him to respond. He said nothing. He wouldn't even look at her. "Logan…" The professor came in and class began. What she was going to say, she didn't know. It would have to wait until later.

After class, Logan quickly got up so that he could escape Veronica. He didn't even want to look at her. He doesn't know why he was so surprised to see her and Piz about to have sex. It was bound to happen eventually. On some level, he knew that. However, the fact that she hadn't taken that step with Piz gave him hope. False hope he now realized. They had been getting along so well for the first time in a long time that he built things up in his head. Even though Logan knew Veronica felt a lot for him, he realized finally that she really didn't _want_ to feel anything for him. She didn't want him. Who was he kidding? She never did. He was just there, and he had wanted her so much. He had saved her once again, and she felt that she owed him. He'd been deluding himself for a long time. As soon as she came up with a good enough excuse, she threw him aside. He was a _complete_ idiot!

Veronica raced out the door; he wasn't going to escape her so easily. Lily's christening was coming up soon, and she and Logan had to work this out. She refused to allow things to go back to an ugly place. Not after what all they'd been through. Heading toward the quad, she caught up to him. She put her hand on his arm to get his attention. "Logan! Wait! Please, stop! We need to talk!"

He stopped and looked at her in resignation, knowing how relentless she is. "There's nothing to say, Veronica. I'm sorry I barged in on you and Piz. It won't happen again." He turned to leave.

"Not so fast!" she said, jumping in front of him. "Please, stop and talk to me. Don't walk away!" she begged him.

"Why not, Veronica? I learned this move from you a few years ago," he said bitterly. "I don't know what you want from me. You told me long ago that you were done with me. I don't know why I didn't believe you. I heard the words, but your eyes said something else. I now understand why you couldn't get past Madison. The image you said you could never get out of your mind. Well, the jokes on me because I now have an image I can't get out of mine! You want Piz; you can have him. I won't stand in your way." With that last declaration, he turned away from her. As he walked away, he was relieved to see Dick. He was always a welcome distraction. His T-shirt today said, "Attention Ladies: I enjoyed the _Notebook_"_._ Dick never failed to make him smile.

Once again, Piz could not believe his eyes. He was walking across the quad and was forced to witness Veronica chasing after Logan. It was clear that Logan didn't want to talk to her. But did that stop her? Of course not! God forbid Logan not give Veronica attention. Veronica looked at Logan in that imploring way of hers. It hurt Piz to see that the look was not reserved for him. It was becoming really clear that Veronica had made her choice. He should go to her now and end their farce of a relationship. However, he just couldn't face her right now.

Piz wasn't the only one to watch the interaction between Veronica and Logan. Gory also happened to be unobserved nearby, watching them. Gory seethed with rage watching Logan and his bitch! His last conversation with his dad was still ringing in his ear. He didn't care what his dad said, no one was going to make a fool out of him and get away with it! Logan and Veronica had to pay!

A few days later, Dick was frustrated to see Logan sinking back into that dark place he lived in last year whenever Veronica dumped him. He picked up his phone and made a call.

Veronica couldn't believe she let Mac talk her into going out this evening. It was a school night, and even though it was just a quick trip to the coffee place, she wasn't in the mood to socialize in public. However, she didn't see the point in dragging Mac down, too. They grabbed a table toward the back.

They had barely sat down when she heard a familiar voice, "Hey, Macster! What a treat to see you here, especially lookin' so fine!"

She looked up to see Dick wearing one of his ridiculous shirts that said I LUV POLYGAMY. Wait that shirt looked familiar. She looked at Mac and noticed she was wearing the exact same shirt! "Mac, care to explain why you and Dick are dressed like the Olsen twins?" she asked, smiling for the first time all day.

Mac was embarrassed but admitted, "I lost the bet."

"What bet? Oh, the one over the video game?" Veronica laughed. "So let me guess, if you had won, he was going to give up his shirts. But if you lost, you had to wear his ridiculous t-shirts? That's too funny!" she said as Dick joined them. Her laughter was cut off when she noticed Duncan and Logan turning away from the counter, heading their way.

Logan was not happy to see Veronica at the table Dick sat down at. He turned to leave, "I'm outta of here."

Duncan grabbed his arm, "No, Logan. You can't leave! I'm not sure exactly what's going on with you and V, but you've got to find a way to get past it. For Lily's sake!" he implored Logan.

"I walked in on her in bed with Piz at Wallace's last weekend," Logan explained, his disgust obvious.

"Oh, man, that sucks! I'm sorry. So much for our grand plan. I know you don't want to hear this, dude, but you've gotta find a way to push it aside. Unless you plan on moving, Veronica is going to be around. You can't escape her. Not if you are serious about being Lily's godfather. We won't stay long. Just long enough to be civil," he offered.

Logan resigned himself to another crappy night and followed Duncan to the table. Veronica looked uncomfortable. "That's too damn bad!" he thought. "She's not going to keep me from my friends." He sat down across from her.

Veronica was saying to Mac, "Isn't that the guy I saw you having breakfast with the other day?" Logan looked at who Veronica was pointing to and saw that guy, John, Mac was talking to at his party. He looked at Dick. Sure enough Dick's eyes followed the guy. Mac looked a bit uncomfortable with everyone's eyes on her and mumbled that he was just a friend. Veronica teased Mac, "So, Mac, why are you holding out on us? When are we going to meet your _friend_?" The guy must have felt their scrutiny because he noticed them and headed their way.

"Hey, Mac! It's good to see you again," John said, smiling at Mac.

"Hi, John," Mac replied and then introduced them to John. Mac invited him to join them. Logan could see that Dick was not happy with the turn of events.

John said, "No, I can't, but thanks. However, I do want to ask you if you're free this Friday. I had two tickets to the symphony and thought you'd like to go with me. I was going to call you, so this is fortuitous running into you!"

"Sure. That sounds fun. What time?" Mac asked, and John gave her the details. No sooner did he leave that Logan saw another unwanted person come through the doors. "Would this night ever end?" Logan asked himself. Mr. Piznarski himself was headed their way. He didn't look happy.

"Well, Veronica, I guess I shouldn't be surprised to find you here with your harem of exes!" Piz said disdainfully. Logan was surprised. He never heard Piz say a rude thing to anyway before.

Veronica looked up when she heard her name. She can't believe that is Piz addressing her. "Piz? I'm sorry, what did you say?" Surely she misunderstood him.

"I said I shouldn't be surprised that you'd be here surrounded once again by both Duncan and Logan. Why be with me, when you can have a millionaire and a billionaire at your beck and call!" he said, scornfully.

Veronica got up. "Piz, let's go somewhere and talk. I've called you, and you haven't returned my calls."

"What's to say, Veronica? Every time I lay eyes on you I find you with either one of them. I told you to make a choice. I see you've made it. Naturally, you couldn't be bothered to tell me that to my face."

"I tried to call you so that we could work things out!" she insisted.

"Oh, did you forget where I lived? I'm what-five minutes from your dorm room? Yeah, I can see how getting busy with your two playboys might keep you too busy!"

At the comment both Logan and Duncan jump up. "Hey, watch how you talk to her, Piz!" Logan demanded. It didn't matter that she had hurt him. Logan was incapable of watching anyone hurt her without instinctively defending her.

"Or what, Logan? Are you going to beat me to a bloody pulp again? Do you have _any_ other moves? At least this time, you could do it for an _actual_ reason!" Piz said defiantly.

"Guys, it's okay. This is between Piz and me. Please sit down!" Veronica looked at Duncan and Logan imploringly.

"No, it's not, Veronica Mars. It never has been! If it was between you and me and not you, me and Logan, we wouldn't be where we are now! But don't worry! I'm getting off the merry-go-run that is Veronica Mars. I'm starting to feel sick!" he said with disgust.

"Okay, that's it! Shut up and leave now!" Logan demanded.

"Don't worry, Logan, I am. She's all yours. I don't want her anymore!" With that final scornful statement, Piz turned and stormed out of the coffee shop.

Veronica looked after Piz in disbelief. She really had trouble believing what just happened. Never had Piz talked to her that way! Nor had she ever heard him talk to anyone that way. He was so hurt, so angry. She looked at Logan. He met her eyes for a moment and then looked away. Veronica couldn't help but think that maybe she was the problem. "I drive Logan to violence and now look what I've done to Piz," she thought.

Mac could see that Veronica was about to fall apart. She quickly jumped up and put her arm around Veronica. "Come on, Veronica. Let's go home." Veronica numbly followed after her. The guys are left behind, each one of them feeling sympathy but all three knowing there wasn't anything to say…


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 10: Mac and Dick's Discoveries

As Mac and Veronica met Dick and Duncan at the zoo with Lily, Mac was determined to ignore Dick. She didn't care what he said, she was NOT caving! Naturally, as soon as they arrived, Dick pulled her aside.

"Okay, Macster! Now you're not getting away from me! Are we gonna talk about this or not?" he said, grinning.

"I vote for not!" Mac replied, hoping he would go find someone else to bug.

"Now, Mac, I won fair and square, did I not?" he couldn't resist reminding her. "A bet is a bet! You said that if I lost I would give up my t-shirts for a month. And I know that you would've made me, right?" he grinned knowingly.

Mac looked at him in resignation. "Yes, you know that I would. But you can't honestly expect me to wear those shirts of yours like you do. They are offensive to women! I'll never live it down! What will my classmates think?"

"Well, Mackie, maybe you should have thought of that before you agreed to that bet, huh?" he said, laughing. "Maybe next time you won't be so cocky when you agree to betting the Dickster here! Never underestimate me! You agreed to the bet, and after we leave the zoo I'm going to go buy you your shirts!" he said gleefully.

Mac saw an opportunity for damage control. "Okay, I'll go with you to make sure you get the right size."

"Oh, no, Mac-Attack, that is so _not _happening! You just wanna come so you can veto whatever you don't like! I will go by myself and call you when I'm done!" Dick couldn't contain the eagerness he was feeling. He loved making her squirm!

"But what if you spend money on shirts that won't fit?" she insisted.

"Don't worry, Mac! The day the Dickster doesn't know the size of a woman's…(he paused as Mac looked at him sharply) _upper half_, is the day dogs will fly!" he corrected, trying to be tactful.

"Don't you mean 'pigs will fly'?"

"Why would anyone wanna watch a pig fly? Now their pet Chihuahuas or Dobermans that would be a sight!" he said, grinning at the thought.

Mac just shook her head, smiling at his goofiness. She looked down at Lily and noticed her giving that signal she gave when she was about to pee. They've been working on potty training her. She asked, "Lily do you need to go potty?" Lily nodded her head yes. She asked Dick if he knew where the closest bathroom was. He indicated that they were over by the monkeys, his favorite spot. His mom used to bring him and Beaver here when they were young.

Mac took Lily by the hand and told Dick to let Duncan know where they were going. Dick headed over to Duncan to tell him their plan to take care of Lily and stop at the monkeys. He was a bit surprised that Duncan showed no interest in going with them, but he turned to catch up with his two favorite girls.

Dick was right behind them when he happened to glance back at Duncan and Veronica. "Mac! Mac! Stop!" he exclaimed loudly without drawing attention to them.

Mac heard him and paused to look back. "What?" Dick pointed back at Duncan and Veronica.

Mac could see that the two of them were in an obvious intense conversation. She was really stunned to see Duncan reach out and put his hand on Veronica's face as he talked to her. Whatever he was saying was really having an impact on Veronica

"Oh my God! Did you see that?" Dick said as Veronica reached up and kissed Duncan. The kiss was short, but it still had Mac's head spinning.

"I can't believe Veronica is kissing on Duncan! What is wrong with her? Is she trying to ruin everything?" Dick asked, visibly upset.

"It wasn't much of a kiss, Dick. Don't jump to conclusions!" Mac told him.

They look at Duncan as he turned away for a moment. "See, Duncan doesn't look happy. It can't be what you were thinking," Mac said. Just as Duncan turned back toward Veronica, Lily began to squirm. "Come on, Dick. Lily can't hold it much longer! We've got to get to the bathroom."

Dick reluctantly allowed Mac to drag him away from the drama that was unfolding in front of them. He was not sure what to think. "She better not start playing with Duncan, Mac! It's bad enough Logan has to watch her with that Piz dude, but to start up with Duncan again now would not go over well!" Dick complained as they walk to the bathroom.

Mac, too, was worried but refused to allow Dick to know. She knew he was not one to watch his mouth. "Dick, Duncan and Veronica are close and have a lot of history. What we saw probably means nothing. Don't go telling Logan! There's no sense in getting him upset when we aren't even sure _what_ we saw! If there was something really happening between Duncan and Veronica, she would tell me. As far as I know, she feels nothing but friendship for him. And until she tells me otherwise, we are going to assume that is all that we saw!" she insisted adamantly.

"Well, you know what they say about when you _ass_ume, Mackie!" he said, smiling knowingly at her.

"I'm serious, Dick. Keep your mouth shut! I will talk to Veronica and let you know if we should worry," Mac said sternly.

When they got back to Duncan and Veronica, Mac looked at them closely to see if they seem any different toward one another. Veronica didn't seem any different. Duncan seemed a bit preoccupied. Mac seriously hoped what she told Dick was true.

She didn't get a chance to talk to Veronica about Duncan because after they got back from the zoo, Veronica told her that she had to get ready for her date with Piz. She seemed happy to be going out with Piz, so Mac relaxed. Her conclusions about Duncan must be correct.

Later that night for the first time, Dick wished he put more thought into his actions. He and Logan went to see if Wally could come out and play. When he heard a voice telling them to go away, he just thought Wallace was being funny. He tried the door knob to see if it was unlocked. Since it was, he figured his conclusions were right. Imagine his surprise when he opened the door to find Piz and Veronica half dressed about to do the deed!

A thousand naughty jokes immediately popped in his head, but when he looked over at Logan he came to his senses. He tried backpedaling quickly even though he couldn't keep from grinning. He loved embarrassing Ronnie! He turned to leave and realized his wing man wasn't following. "Dude, are you coming or what?" he asked Logan. Looking at Logan's face, he thought, "Ah-O! This is _not_ good!" When he heard Logan's parting shot, he knew it wasn't good. He grabbed Logan's arm and pulled him back as he shut the door.

He tried to keep things light, "Well, who knew the little Pisster had it in him?"

"Knock it off, Dick! I mean it!" Logan said giving him a dirty look.

"Okay, so he wasn't ready to joke about it," Dick thought. He said nothing else until they got into the car. Logan was clearly still upset at seeing Veronica with Piz. Dick wondered how many months will have to go by before Logan finally moved on.

"Dude, why are you letting Veronica bum you out? You've been broken up for awhile, and her and Piz have been dating for months. I'm sure that's not the first time they've gotten vertical," Dick offered, trying to reason with Logan.

"Dick, shut up! As usual you don't know what the hell you're talking about!" Logan insisted angrily. "Veronica and Piz have _never_ had sex!"

"Really? How do you know that?" Dick was really surprised.

"Dude, the video Sorokin played was a fake. Veronica told me that she and Piz hadn't had sex yet when I showed it to her. Then she left for Virginia. I am pretty sure that tonight was the first time they'd ever been in that particular position!" Logan revealed with disgust.

Dick was amazed and didn't know what to say. What can you say to a guy who saw the woman he loves about to have sex with someone else?

"What, no cute joke? Snarky comment?" Logan asked, sarcastically.

"Dude, I'm sorry. This sucks. But you know, chicks, they never know what they want! Ronnie is crazier than most!" he offered.

"Dick, you're not helping! Please, just stop!" Logan said nothing for a moment. Then he confessed, "I just feel like _such_ an idiot. I really thought she'd be done with Piz before too long. She is the woman for me; I know it! But I guess she doesn't want me to be the one for her."

"Maybe. But I don't see her exactly trying to cut you out of her life either, dude," Dick reminded him.

"Yeah, maybe," Logan responded despondently.

As Dick and Logan headed home, Veronica ran into her dorm room. Mac looked up and saw Veronica. "Hey, I didn't expect to see you back so soon."

"Oh, Mac, I've made such a mess!" Veronica exclaimed as she flopped down on the bed, throwing her face down on her pillow.

"What's happened?" Mac hoped Duncan has nothing to do with her upset.

"Logan and Dick just walked in on Piz and me being a little bit intimate, if you catch my drift?" she told Mac.

"Oh, no! How embarrassing! I'm sure Dick was his normal self and made it worse with his jokes," Mac said knowingly.

"Dick? What? Who cares about Dick? You should have seen Logan's face, Mac! The way he looked at me! He was really hurt. But then before he left, he looked at me as if he hated me!" she wailed.

"Logan hate you? That's never going to happen! You know he's never been able to move on from you. He was just upset to you and Piz being so close. He'll get over it. He was with Parker like a minute after you dumped him after all," Mac reminded her.

"I doubt seriously that Parker slept with Logan. Girls who are drugged and raped aren't quick to go there, that I know for sure! Nor is Logan the type of guy to pressure a girl. Believe me, I know that, too. And I also know how Logan is when he's been intimate with a girl. Trust me, Logan and Parker never slept together. That's not relevant now anyway. Logan being upset is just half of it."

"What do you mean?" Mac asked, confused.

"After Logan and Dick left, Piz and I got into a huge fight! Piz didn't appreciate how noticeably upset Logan was, and he noticed that I was bothered by Logan's reaction. He demanded that I cut Logan from my life!" she cried as her eyes fill with tears.

Mac wasn't sure if she was crying because Logan was upset or crying because of Piz's reaction, or Piz's ultimatum. "What are you going to do? Surely Piz doesn't really expect you to cut Logan out of your life? That's insane! You'd have to cut Duncan and Lily out, too!" Mac said, upset at the thought.

"I know! I tried to tell Piz that he didn't have the right to tell me who I could be friends with. But then he said that if I truly cared about him and wanted to be with him that I had to make a choice. He's not convinced that I don't have feelings for Logan."

"Do you still have feelings for Logan?" Mac asked even though she knew the answer. But she was curious to see if Veronica would admit it.

Veronica didn't say anything for a minute. Then she said, "Yes, Mac, I have feelings for Logan. I'm sure you know that. He's important to me. But we're not good as a couple. Look how good it's been with just us being friends. Everything with all of us has been great! I don't want to change that. Piz is so sweet and things have been really good between us lately. He's put up with a lot. I don't want to lose him. I've got to make him understand how unreasonable his request is!" she insisted.

Mac thought Veronica was being somewhat unrealistic but knew that once Veronica had an idea in her head that there was no changing her mind. It was obvious to everyone but Veronica that Piz was not the guy for her. He was not her future. Logan had hurt Veronica a lot in the past, and each time they break up Veronica seemed more determined than ever to keep him at a distance. Why she was holding onto Piz so tightly, Mac didn't really know. But she suspected it has to do with Veronica's fear of not having someone between her and Logan. Then she'd be forced to confront how much she felt for him and how much she needed him in her life.

The next day, Mac was woken up with a phone call from Dick asking if he could drop by. Mac told him that it wasn't a good idea because Veronica was not in the mood for company. Mac offered to go to the beach house. Dick didn't think Logan was in any better shape for company and suggested they meet at the Java Hut for breakfast. Mac agreed.

She came into the Hut and saw Dick sitting with a big shopping bag next to him. "This can't be good," she thought. Dick saw her and grinned, "Morning, Mackie! I'm glad you agreed to meet me for breakfast because I have a surprise for you!"

"It better not be what I think it is," she said, suspiciously. When Dick reached into the bag and pulled at a shirt, she knew that it _was_ exactly what she suspected!

"Please, stop, Dick! I don't _want_ to know what you have! Can't I have breakfast first?" she whined.

"Now, now, Mackie, you promised!" he reminded her. "I told you I was going to get you your shirts, and I always keep my word! Look what I got for you." Mac was horrified when she examines each shirt he brought out of the bag. "I LUV POLGAMY, SEX-DO IT FOR THE KIDS, YES, IT IS HARD TO LOOK THIS GOOD, WHAT THE FRAC?" where the first four. When she read the next one "DON'T TOUCH MY JUNK, she protested, "No way in HELL am I wearing that shirt, Dick! Are you insane?"

"Now, Mac, a bet is a bet. It's funny; these are funny! You wearing them will be even funnier!" He laughed, thinking of the image of her wearing the shirts. He couldn't wait! "People will think you're a cool chick! Look, this one was made just for you!" He pulled out a t-shirt with a picture of a vintage computer screen that said MAC DADDY. She had to laugh at that one. The next one made her smile, too. It was a picture of a box of French fries with a single onion ring in it. The caption read, "One Ring To Rule Them All". However, the last one had her blanching when she read it. It said on the front, "I LOVE HAVING CRABS. "Dick, you can't expect me to wear that one!"

"Wait, Mac. Let me turn it over." On the back it said, "AT THE CRAB SHACK!" and had a picture of a guy eating crab legs. She had to laugh. "Okay, you're right; that is funny!"

"See, I told you. And I only got you eight shirts. You don't have to wear them every single day, but you got to wear them all at least twice within the next thirty days. And you gotta wear them all day each time!" he said with a grin. Then he added, "Just to make it fun, I got myself a few new ones, too!" Mac took the bag in resignation.

The next morning she snuck out the door before Veronica noticed her shirt. She started with the _Mac Daddy_ shirt first, figuring it was the least offensive. She left Veronica a note telling her she was meeting a friend for breakfast. Last night she was on Facebook when John IM'd her asking her if she wanted to have breakfast with him before their class together. She liked John. He was smart and cute, if a bit reserved. She figured that she just needed to get to know him better.

They were having breakfast when she heard that familiar, "Yo, Macster! What's up?" Of course, Dick would show up when she was having breakfast with John. He always seemed to pick inopportune moments to annoy her.

Dick came into the food court and immediately spotted Mac. He also was quick to see she was with the loser she was talking to at the party. However, Dick noticed she had on one of _his_ shirts. Grinning, he walked to her table to greet her. Naturally, he didn't wait for an invite but plopped down in the open chair next to her. He didn't waste a glance on her table companion.

"Good morning! I sooo love your t-shirt!" he said, smiling at her with a knowing look. Before Mac could respond, he said, "Hey, look, Mac." He pointed across at another table several down from them. Duncan and Veronica were sitting at it. "Ronnie is totally whacked! First, she's jerking my boy Logan around then she's cozying up with Duncan _again_!"

Mac started to reply and then noticed something else, "Oh no, that cannot be good! Look who just came in and spotted the two of them!" Mac exclaimed. They both looked and saw that Piz had just entered into the cafeteria. It was obvious that he had spotted Veronica with Duncan. He didn't look pleased to see them together. Then when he saw Duncan putting his hand on Veronica's, he seemed mad and stormed out of the court.

"Trouble in paradise!" Dick said, satisfied. "I knew Ronnie couldn't possibly want to be with that Piz dude!"

"That's not true! She _does _want to be with Piz. She's probably just telling Duncan about her fight with him. Duncan is just being a good friend!" Mac defended loyally.

"You're my friend, and I don't hold your hand and kiss you!" he reminded with a smirk. "Don't forget it was just yesterday we both saw her kissing Duncan, and then _I_ personally witnessed her about to do it with Piz! Ronnie's really getting around these days!" he exclaimed.

Mac was starting to get really mad and never noticed John getting tired of being ignored. He finally decided he didn't want to get into the middle of the argument he could see building and took off. Mac said, "Dick, you will NOT talk about Veronica like that! You know she isn't like that! Regardless of the rumors _you_ helped spread about her in high school, Duncan and Logan are the only two guys she's ever been with!" None of them like acknowledging the truth of Cassidy's rape. They have an unspoken agreement to not bring that particular fact up.

"Well, that may be true, but what's she doing now? Logan is really upset. He knew that Ronnie hadn't had sex with that Piz guy, so you can imagine how he must have felt when we walked in on them!"

"Yeah, that reminds me of something!" she said and she slapped him on the arm. "What were you thinking? Why in the world would you barge into Piz's room when he was on a date with Veronica! Could you _be_ more tactless?"

"Ouch! I can't believe you hit me! How was I supposed to know what was happening? The door was unlocked, and in case you forgot, that's Wallace's room, too! Do you think I wanted to see that or bring Logan in to see it? I'm not a complete idiot, contrary to what you may think!" he declared, beginning to get mad himself.

"I don't think you're an idiot," she offered, beginning to feel bad. "At least not most of the time." She smiled apologetically at him. "I just hate what is happening with our friends. Veronica is really upset 'cause Piz told her she has to cut Logan out of her life if she wants to be with him."

Dick laughed, "Like that's going to happen! Back when Logan was tormenting her in high school Ronnie was still helping him with stuff. Their dance never stopped even when she was dating Duncan."

Mac started to respond and then finally noticed John had left. "Great, you ran off John! Thanks, Dick!"

"Hey, don't blame me if your friend has no staying power!" he quipped, implying more than the obvious with his smirk.

Mac refused to get into it with him anymore and grabbed her stuff and stormed off.

Later that day, Dick was about to walk across the quad when he spotted Logan and Veronica coming out of their psychology class together. It was obvious Logan was not happy, and Ronnie was trying to talk to him anyway. She was stubborn that way. Dick debated on whether or not he should interrupt them when he saw Piz not too far from them. He could tell that Piz was also watching the scene unfolding. Ronnie jumped in front of Logan, talking to him intensely. Dick saw that Piz once again was not too happy finding his girlfriend talking to one of her exes. Dick couldn't help but feel a little bit of sympathy for Piz. No guy likes to watch their girl having intense moments with other guys, no matter how innocent they may actually be. Logan appeared to be getting more upset, so Dick decided to do what a best friend's supposed to do and went to interrupt them.

A few days later, Dick was running out of ideas. He'd been trying to distract Logan the past few days. Wallace wasn't much help because he seemed to be forever studying. Dick tried to talk to him about Logan and Ronnie but Wallace said he learned early on not to get involved in Veronica's love life. That's the only way he could guarantee V stay out of his. Dick could understand that, but Logan was fast loosing it. He had to do something to prevent him from sinking back into that dark place of his. He decided to call Mac. She always knew what to do.

Mac, too, was worried about a roommate. Veronica for some reason insisted on leaving messages for Piz to call her. Mac couldn't understand why Veronica was being so stubborn and trying to salvage her relationship with Piz. When he didn't call her back, she seemed to become more listless and sad. Having Logan yelling at her a few days ago hadn't helped. When Mac's phone rang, she welcomed the distraction. She saw from her ID that it was Dick. "Hey, Dick, what's up?" Dick told her how frustrated he was trying to pull Logan out of the pits. He hoped Mac has some ideas. Mac quickly slipped out of her room and went down the hall to talk to him away from Veronica. She told Dick that maybe everyone should get together so that Logan and Veronica would be forced to deal with one another. Mac said that he should call Duncan to come over and the two of them could work on dragging Logan down to the Hut to get coffee. Mac would work on Veronica. They set a time and hang up, each tackling their prospective person.

Dick was relieved that he and Duncan succeeded in dragging Logan out of the house. Duncan agreed that leaving Logan to his own devices yet another night was not a good idea. When they got into the Hut, Dick headed straight for Mac. "Fancy meeting you here!" he said, sharing a conspiring look with her. He laughed at her embarrassment when Veronica noticed and commented on their matching shirts. He bought himself each one of the shirts that he had also gotten Mac. He figured it'd be a hoot to see which one they'd both coincidentally end up wearing at the same time. He never had so much fun winning a bet before!

His pleasure quickly came to an end when that John guy showed up. It seemed like he was always popping up! What kind of jerk just goes right up to a girl and asks her out when she was with three other guys? The arrogance! Of course, Dick would not acknowledge that he did that kind of thing all the time. He just knew that he did not appreciate that loser asking his Macster out. And to the symphony of all things. The pretentious bastard! He couldn't believe she said yes to that stuffed shirt! She had lost her mind! He was almost as bad as Piz! Speaking of the devil, Piz walked right in. This can't be good.

He was right. Things got ugly fast. He didn't know the Pisster had it in him to go off on Ronnie like that. However, he knew from personal experience that talking trash to her was a sure fire way to get Logan worked up. Yep, there he goes. Things might get ugly! However, it quickly looked like Piz did have _some_ sense; he broke up with Ronnie and left before Logan or Duncan pummeled him. But Ronnie looked really upset. Dick couldn't help but feel sorry for her. No one liked being dumped in public. Naturally, Mac went with her back to their dorm. He understood why, but he didn't like it. He needed to talk to Mac about that John dude. He didn't want her wasting time on a guy who was so obviously wrong for her!

The next day Mac got a text from Dick telling her to get over to his place ASAP. Mac quickly went to her car thinking that something awful must be going on with Logan. She knew how impulsive he was. He didn't always think when he's upset, especially if he'd been drinking.

She got to the beach house and went on in. Logan wasn't anywhere to be seen. "Dick, what's wrong? Is Logan okay?" she asked looking around for signs.

"Logan? Logan's not even here. He's in class," Dick said, puzzled.

"What? Are you kidding? You told me to come over right away, so I thought something was wrong! I can't believe you scared me like that! What's wrong with you?" she said, annoyed.

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you?" he demanded.

"Me? There's nothing wrong with me! Outside of you dragging me over here for no good reason!" Mac responded.

"I have a good reason! I want to know why you'd even consider going out with that doofus?" Dick said.

"What?" she said, looked at him in surprise. "Are you referring to John?"

"I don't know. Are you going out with more than one doofus?" Dick said with a smirk.

"Okay, first of all, I believe we've already covered this. Who I talk to or go out with is NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS! Secondly, you don't even know him! He is not a doofus!" Mac argued, angrily.

" 'So fortuitous to run in to you! Would you like to go to the symphony with me?' " Dick mimicked, mockingly. "Yes, he IS a doofus! I can't believe you'd have such bad taste in men!"

"Oh, that's rich coming from you! A man who readily admits the only standard he has for sleeping with a woman is that she be an _actual_ woman!" Mac screamed at him. She couldn't believe his audacity to cast stones at her when he was nothing but a dog in heat half the time! Mac ignored the voice inside of her that tried to tell her maybe she was bothered by the fact that he'd never seriously hit on her.

"That's not true! I have standards! I do NOT sleep with every woman I see!"

"Of course not! This is college, most of the woman here are too smart to fall for your bull! They have better taste!" she yelled, scornfully.

Her insult stung. Dick hadn't slept with a random girl in months. He figured Mac of all people would notice that, considering he spent most of his spare time with her. He didn't appreciate her insinuating that he wasn't a prize. He got in her face and said, "I'll have you know I haven't taken a woman to bed in months, and it is NOT because I haven't had an opportunity!"

She refused to back down or feel bad for her comment. He started this by attacking her first! She yelled back, "Oh, is the Dickster tired of dicking around? Did you run out of bimboes? Has hell frozen over?" She realized she may have gone too far when Dick reached out and grabbed her shoulders. Then the look in his eyes suddenly changed.

Dick looked at her and quickly realized that it was not anger that his was primarily feeling. Things became really clear to him all of a sudden. "What the hell!" he said and then he pressed his lips to hers.

Mac was stunned when she suddenly felt Dick's lips on hers. She was unsure of what to do, but his tongue went to her lips, seeking entry. She opened her mouth and allowed him in. As his tongue reached in, her knees feel weak, and she placed her arms around his neck. Her mind went completely blank as he devoured her with his tongue. The kiss seemed endless. She literally felt like her clothes were going to burn off of her body if she got any hotter. Suddenly, she heard a door slam, and she pulled away from Dick in surprise. She was staring up at him in stunned amazement, unsure of what to do. She heard Logan said, "Uh, sorry. Did I interrupt something?" His question broke the spell she seemed to be in. She looked at Logan staring at the two of them in surprise. She looked back at Dick, who was looking at her in a way he never had. Panic set in, and she turned around and fled.

"Dude, what just happened? What did I walk in on?" Logan asked, not sure if his suspicions are correct.

Dick couldn't respond to Logan because he was not sure himself what had just happened. He didn't know if he should go after Mac or not. But what would he say? He hadn't planned on kissing her. But he wasn't sorry he did. How can he be sorry for something that he now realized he wanted more than anything? Mac may not see it yet, but she belonged with him. He understood that clearly now. He had kissed a lot of girls in his life and none had ever made him feel half of what that one kiss with Mac made him feel. He knew Mac well enough to know it caught her completely by surprise. She wouldn't be so easy to convince. No, he'd have to tread carefully…

_To Be Continued…_


	12. Chapter 12

**Warning: This chapter is fairly short and doesn't really move the plot along. I was planning to jump into a lot of things. However, I felt it would be good to post a separate chapter getting a glimpse inside the heads of our main players. Forgive me!**

Chapter 11: The Aftermath

Piz stormed into his dorm room and slammed the door, still angry. He couldn't believe he'd really ended things with Veronica. No, that wasn't true. He knew this day was coming back in May that day in the cafeteria when he saw the way Veronica looked at Logan after he finished bringing Gory to his knees. He honestly thought she'd break up with him then. The fact that she chose to drag out their farce of a relationship really burned him! She made a pretense of being close to him by opening up over the summer. It was like she got off on stringing him a long. The fact that he was dumb enough to fall for it made the joke on him!

Wallace looked up when he heard the door slam. He was surprised; Piz usually didn't announce his presence in such dramatic fashion.

"Yo, man, what's up?" he asked.

Piz looked at Wallace, debating on how much he should say. He knew how close Wallace was to Veronica. However, maybe Wallace needed to be clued in on who his gal pal really was. "I just came back from a fun run in with your pal Veronica and all her men," he told Wallace, the anger he was feeling clearly visible on his face.

Wallace was taken aback by both Piz's words and his obvious anger. Maybe he missed a joke somewhere. "Okay, I know I'm missing something. Why are you referring to your girlfriend in that way? Do you want to clue me in?"

"What, you mean you haven't heard? Veronica didn't jump at the chance to call you before I got here to ensure that she'll have yet another man running to her defense?" Piz asked, scorn dripping from his every word.

Wallace felt like he was that guy who comes into the scene in a movie who always missed the punch-line. He looked at Piz, still waiting for the punch-line. However, he began to suspect that Piz wasn't engaging in some twisted joke. He looked deadly serious and really upset.

"Piz, man, I have no idea what is going on with you or with Veronica. But I'd appreciate it if you'd fill a brotha in!" Wallace said lightly, hoping to put Piz in a better mood.

"Veronica and I broke up!" Piz finally revealed.

"Man, I'm sorry. Veronica never said a word. I didn't know she was going to break up with you," Wallace said.

"_Of course_, you'd naturally assume that Veronica dumped me! You've been friends with her awhile now and probably have seen firsthand how good she is at jerking around the men in her life," he said in that angry tone that was beginning to become his norm when talking about Veronica.

"Okay, Piz, I can see you're upset. And I can understand you being upset if you and Veronica just broke up. But you really need to watch what you say about Veronica. She's my best friend," Wallace reminded him, beginning to get offended at Piz's words and tone.

"No, Wallace, I don't think I _can_ watch what I say about Miss Veronica Mars. My rose colored glasses aren't just off; they've been shattered!" he exclaimed. "I am been a good boyfriend to her. I've been patient and supportive. Wouldn't you say?" he asked.

"Well, sure. You're a nice guy. Veronica thinks so, too, or she wouldn't have went out with you in the first place," Wallace offered.

"Yea, I have been a great boyfriend! I didn't pressure her. I put up with her staying friends with Logan even after he attacked me for no good reason! I've been patient. But does she see that? Does she appreciate that? No! I'm not a millionaire. Nor am I a he-man fighting, bad, boy like Logan with tragic childhood drama! Nor do I have a beautiful daughter like Duncan, who according to Logan is the _real_ love of her life. It's obvious she'd rather be with those kinds of guys instead of wasting her time with an ordinary guy like me!" Piz finished his rant and looked at Wallace as if he should agree.

"Piz, I'm not sure what's happened. I've been out of the loop the past week studying. However, I know if you really think any of those things about Veronica then you don't know her at all! She was with you because she wanted to be. She could've gone back to Logan if that's what she wanted. We both know he would've taken her back. I'm sure whatever fight you and Veronica got into will blow over. You need to calm down and give it some time," Wallace responded, trying to reason with Piz.

"You don't get it, Wallace. We're through! I don't want her! Every time I see her, she's with another one of her rich playboys. I'm done. I'm not going to fight over her with Logan again like she's some prize. Because now I know she's not!" Piz insisted.

Wallace was beginning to get angry. He knew Veronica was good at pushing people's buttons. However, he was not prepared to deal with this kind of attitude from Piz. In the year, they've been roommates he had only seen Piz as a laid back, fun loving, genuinely nice guy. Something ugly must have gone down. Wallace figured he would give Piz some space so he could calm down and see things more rationally. After all, he did live with the guy. It wasn't like he could avoid him forever. He said to Piz, "Dude, I'm not sure where all this is coming from. But I can see you could use some alone time, so I'm going to get out of your hair."

Wallace left Piz not knowing exactly where he should go. His first instinct was to go over and see Veronica. However, he knew from experience that V would call him if she needed him. Normally, she needed space if she just broke up with someone. He figured his best bet to find out what was going on was to go to the beach house and talk to Dick and Logan.

When he arrived at the beach house, Dick was on the couch channel surfing. Logan wasn't anywhere in sight. "Hey, Dick, what's up? I thought I'd drop by to see what's been going on."

Dick looked up and smiled. Wallace's presence was a welcome relief. He was about to go nuts. Logan had barricaded himself in his room again. Mac was busy with V and there was nothing on TV. "Dude, so great to see you! I'm about to expire from boredom! Although I shouldn't complain, not with all the drama going on every time I turn around."

"Yea, why don't you fill me in? I had an ugly encounter with Piz and feel like I've missed a lot!" Wallace exclaimed.

"Dude, you don't know the half of it!" Dick said. Then he proceeded to fill Wallace in on what had been going on, starting with him and Logan walking in on Veronica and Piz.

"How have you not called me and told me this, man?" Wallace asked when Dick finished his tale. "I can't believe Veronica didn't call me herself!"

"Well, she's been pretty upset every time I've seen her lately. Logan isn't speaking to her, and then Piz just dumped her in front of all of us. Sucks to be her!" Dick explained with his usual sensitivity. "You'd know what was happening if you didn't have your nose in a book every time we come by or call. I tried to call you once but you were in the study zone. Too much study can't be good for you, man!"

"I can't believe Piz gave her an ultimatum like that! Veronica never responds well to people telling her what she can or can't do." Wallace shook his head in disbelief, trying to process it all.

"You can't believe it? _I_ can't believe it! Who knew the dude had it him? And you should've seen the way he threw down with V! I thought Logan _and_ Duncan both were going to give him a beat down, but he didn't back down or seem to care. For a moment there, I actually liked him!" Dick said, grinning at the memory.

"Well, you don't have to live with him. I do. You know how tight Veronica and I are."

"Yeah, in high school I thought she might be your beard!" Dick said, not really joking.

"Not cool, man! You know I like the ladies!" Wallace exclaimed.

"Yeah, I realized that when I saw you at the altra-prom with that totally hot chick Jackie. She was smokin'!" Dick said, grinning.

Wallace knew better than to get offended at Dick and just laughed. "So do you really think that Piz and Veronica are over for good?" he asked Dick.

"Dude, there's no coming back from that! Even I felt sorry for Veronica after Piz's dis," Dick explained.

"Well, to borrow your phrase, it sucks to be me! Living with Piz while he's on the 'I hate Veronica Mars' kick is not going to be a pleasure cruise that's for sure," Wallace complained.

"Yeah, dude, I can imagine. If it gets too bad, you know you can always crash here. We always have room for you. Logan's moping around is about to drive me to drink!" Dick complained.

Wallace smiled and joked, "Like you need an excuse to drink!"

Dick grinned in response, "True. But in all honesty I'm beginning to feel the strain. Logan hasn't been the same ever since he walked in on Veronica and Piz about to get busy. You'd think Veronica and Piz breaking up tonight would've put him in a good mood, but it didn't. He's all cave man again. So believe me, if things get ugly over at the dorms, you are welcome here!"

Over at the girls' dorm, Mac was trying to figure out what she should say to Veronica. If she was sobbing or crying, Mac would go over and put a comforting arm around her. If she wanted to yell or vent, Mac could listen sympathetically. However, instead of doing either of those things, she was just sitting in the chair by the window, looking out. She wasn't crying now even though she'd been fighting tears earlier. She hadn't said a word since they left the coffee shop.

"Veronica, are you okay?" Mac asked, concerned.

Is she okay? Veronica didn't even know how to answer such a simple question. She felt numb. However, she answered, "Yeah, I'm okay. I just need some time to process everything."

She wasn't really ready to talk about it. Not even with Mac. Sure, she was hurt by Piz's attack. Normally, she wouldn't let anyone talk to her that way. But she couldn't get past the fact that it was Piz talking to her that way. She took this nice, well-mannered guy and turned him into someone she didn't even recognize. It was like she was toxic. She remembered all the times Dick had accused her of ruining guys. "Maybe Dick is right," she thought. Veronica realized she had reached an all time low if she was even contemplating that Dick was right about something.

What really bothered her, though, was that she didn't feel more hurt by Piz breaking up with her. She was upset at what he said and what he accused her of. The anger he had toward her was disturbing. However, she didn't feel that aching loss she had felt when Duncan had broken up with her their sophomore year. Nor the devastating pain she felt picturing Logan with Madison Sinclair. She was hurt, of course, and sad at the break up. Here was another relationship that she couldn't get to work no matter how much she tried. The little voice inside her head told her that if she'd went with her gut before she left for Virginia and broken up with Piz then things wouldn't be in the mess they are now. Piz wouldn't be so bitter and angry. She might have been able to keep him as her friend. And Logan might actually be able to look at her. Picturing Logan's face at the coffee house and his refusal to really even look at her caused her to finally thaw out. She had really made a mess out of things! What was wrong with her? The tears begun to fall and she started sobbing. Mac got up and laid a comforting arm around her while Veronica continued to cry.

While Veronica was crying over the tangled web of her life, Logan was lying on his bed trying to figure some things out himself. He wasn't sure how he felt about Veronica and Piz breaking up. On one hand, he was glad to see the last of Piz. On the other hand, it really bothered him that Piz broke up with her and not the other way around. Logan had really believed that Veronica would come back to him. However, she made a point of not contacting him over the summer. She'd chosen to stay with Piz. Seeing the two of them in bed together really cemented it for him. Veronica was willing to share the most private part of herself with Piz. She really didn't want Logan anymore. It did not matter how much he tried to change and grow into the man she deserved; she was forever going to see him as less. Piz was such an ordinary guy, and Veronica seemed perfectly satisfied with him. Logan had the awful realization that he was never going to be enough for her. He needed to move on. She had with Piz. Just because they were broken up now didn't change anything. Veronica and he were over. It was time for him to finally accept that fact.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 12: Fists of Fury

As Weevil was heading out of Bennett Hall, he was shaking his head. He knew this was supposed to be a higher institution of learning, but for the life of him he didn't understand these college girls sometimes. The things they thought were okay to flush down their toilets never ceased to amaze him. He was about to walk outside and head to lunch when a picture on the dorm's bulletin board caught his eye. It was Veronica Mars. He'd yet to run into her on campus since classes had resumed. The two of them were friends, but they weren't the kind who called each other just to say hi. Looking at the posting by her picture, Eli knew it was time to look up his old friend. He ripped off the notice; she needed to know about this. He shook his head. When would people learn that V wasn't someone to mess with?

Mac was walking out of Bennett too preoccupied to notice any postings. She was still trying to wrap her mind around what had happened the other day between her and Dick. She was struggling to understand why Dick kissed her like that. More importantly, her own reaction to the kiss. She had to admit that Dick kissing her wasn't the biggest shock. He'd made an attempt at that last spring when he apologized for treating her and Cassidy so badly. However, he'd been drinking, and she knew that was just Dick being Dick. Over the summer, they'd spent a lot of time together and had become friends. Not once had he treated her as anything other than a friend, or even sister. He was protective like a brother-look at how he reacted about John. But kissing her the way he did made it clear that he didn't feel brotherly toward her. Now Mac had to think of his behavior concerning John in a whole different light. She didn't need Veronica's detective skills to figure out that Dick was jealous of John. The thought of Dick Casablancas actually being jealous of a guy she was barely dating was too much to contemplate. She wasn't ready to face how that made her feel any more than she was ready to face how kissing him did. Luckily, it was time for class.

Wallace finished up basketball practice at loose ends. He didn't feel like going back to his dorm and running into Piz. The past few days had been really difficult. Piz's behavior was so up and down. He went from moping around like his dog had died to being angry and combative. Wallace was struggling to hold on to his own temper. He knew it was rough on the guy, but how long was he expected to deal with Piz's behavior? It was starting to get old! Wallace decided to text Veronica and see if she wanted to meet up. It was past time that he checked up on her.

Veronica came out of psychology class relieved to read her text from Wallace. She was definitely in need of some quality Wallace time. She knew she'd been neglecting him lately. Seeing a friendly face would be nice. Logan had skipped their psychology class all week. He obviously had no desire to see Veronica yet. She could understand that, but she missed seeing him. Sharing class with him had become one of her favorite things about her course load this semester. His wit and droll comments never failed to make her smile. It was nice to feel like she had an ally in class for a change. Hopefully, he'd start coming around again soon. Lily's christening was coming up, and they needed to clear the air between them.

As she walked past a group of students, she couldn't help but notice their laughter as they looked at her walking by. Their way too familiar behavior caused her stomach to clench. Would she never be able to erase those high school memories? A guy walked by her and whistled, "Looking good Veronica!" She looked back to see if she knew him and ran into a hard body. Looking up she saw two guys she had never met before. "Excuse me," she said, trying to walk around them.

"What's your hurry? Aren't you Veronica Mars?" the first guy asked. Veronica began to wonder if the video of her and Piz was circulating again. She tried once again to walk around the guy. The other guy flanked her, blocking her path.

"Do you want to move?" she said to him, getting annoyed.

"I'd love for you to put your hands on me and move me yourself!" he exclaimed, looking at her with a knowing grin.

That's it! Veronica was going to end this one way or another. She reached in her bag for her trusty tazer. "Crap!" she thought. She had left it on the charger this morning. Not going on P.I cases anymore had allowed her to drop her guard. She resorted to bravado. "If you know what's good for you, you'll get out of my way!" she threatened them with her patented steely look.

"Hey, what's with all your hostility? I thought you were a fun-time-girl!" the guy on the left said, moving closer to her.

The second guy grabbed her shoulder, "We know you're just playing hard to get. We don't mind hard, do you we, Trent?" he said to the first guy, whose name must be Trent.

Veronica began to struggle in his grip, trying to get away from him. She was angry and beginning to feel a bit anxious. Before things could go any further, she heard a new voice say, "Hey, what do you guys think you're doing? Get your hands off of her!" Veronica looked up in relief to see Wallace running toward her. He pulled Veronica out of their grasp.

"Where the hell do you guys get off accosting a woman like that? Didn't your mamma teach you any manners?" Wallace demanded in anger.

"Hey, man, butt out! We saw her first. We're just trying to make friends with her. We hear she's looking for some new ones. You need to mind your own business!" Trent demanded.

Wallace pushed the guy in the chest and said, "This _is_ my business. That's my friend you're harassing, and you'd better back the hell away!"

The guy Trent didn't appreciate the lecture on manners or the shove and hauled off and decked Wallace. Before Wallace could respond, Veronica saw another guy put himself in the middle of all the drama. Weevil had spotted Veronica's petite form walking across the quad and had been trying to catch up to her. When the guys surrounded her, he could tell from the distance that Veronica wasn't happy with their attention. Before he could reach her, he'd seen Wallace run to her rescue. However, it looked like the two guys were not listening to Wallace. When the guy punched Wallace, Weevil had finally reached them.

He came from behind and grabbed the guy about to hit Wallace again. He grabbed the guys throwing arm and twists, bringing the guy to his knees. "I believe the lady told you she wasn't interested. If you don't walk away now, I'll be happy to teach you both some manners," Weevils told them with that menacing stare of his. The guys, of course, quickly realized that this new guy wasn't an easy mark and finally left.

"Are you okay, V?" Weevil asked her in concern.

"Yes, thanks to my two knights in shining armor!" Veronica replied.

"What was with those guys?" Wallace asked, still not sure what had happened.

"I have no idea. They just wouldn't get out of my way, and then started making comments that I hadn't heard since high school," Veronica said.

"Unfortunately, I think I know what brought on their unwanted attention," Weevil explained. He pulled out a folded piece of paper from his back pocket and handed it to her. "I found this on the bulletin board in one of the dorms I was working in today. I was going to give you a call when I saw you walking across campus."

Veronica opened up the folded piece of paper and saw a picture of herself in a revealing outfit. The caption read, "For a good time call Veronica Mars. She loves to party and make new friends." Veronica saw that the number listed was the phone number to her and Mac's dorm. "At least it's not my cell phone number," she remarked dryly.

"Is that all you've got to say?" Weevil said, surprised. "I figured you'd be steamed. I doubt this is the only one floating around."

"Well, of course, I'm not pleased, Weevil. However, you know this isn't my first journey down this particular rabbit hole. Déjà vu, anyone?" she said, looking at them in resignation.

"You'd think they'd come up with something new," Wallace said.

"So who have you pissed off now?" Weevil inquired. "School's only been going on for a few weeks. That's got to be a new record for you, V." He grinned at her.

"Well, Weev, I think this isn't about anyone new. This reeks of our old pal Gory Sorokin," Veronica told him.

"You mean that guy Logan beat down last May? The one who posted that video of you and your boyfriend? He's still bothering you? What's his beef?" Weevil asked.

"Well, Gory didn't appreciate Logan's public humiliation of him. He crashed Logan and Dick's back to school party right before classes started and told us he'd spent the summer thinking about us," Veronica recalled.

"You do know how to make the boys crazy, V!" Weevil said, grinning.

"Well, that's not all. He also pretty much threatened both Logan and I in front of Duncan Kane and his daughter. Duncan didn't react to well to implied threats against Lily," Veronica explained.

"Lily? Duncan named his daughter after Lily?" Weevil inquired, noticeably affected.

"Yeah. Wait until you see her, Weevil. She's so cute! She looks a lot like both Lily and Meg," Veronica said, fondly.

"Let's stay on topic, guys," Wallace ordered. "What are we going to do about these flyers?"

"I'll start combing campus and pulling them down where I find them," Weevil offered.

"The first thing I'm going to do is go by residential housing and get our phone number changed. I don't want to start dealing with ugly calls or have Mac have to deal with them," Veronica said.

"I'll keep my eye open for them, too," Wallace told Weevil. "Thanks for the assist, man. You showed up just in time!"

"It's good to know I haven't lost my touch fighting off the bad boys that harass our girl here. Although she seems to have a taste for those bad boys, don't you V?" Weevil teased her. "Speaking of bad boys, how did Logan respond to Gory's threats?"

"Well, you know Logan. He's not one to back down. Luckily, this time Duncan is here to help. Duncan will keep him from doing anything too impetuous," she replied.

"I don't know, Veronica. Duncan seemed just as mad as Logan. I can't imagine either of them will react well to this," Wallace remarked. "I think I'll go see if I can track down any of them. Dick's usually having lunch about this time." They said their goodbyes and went off in different directions. Veronica and Wallace would have to catch up another time.

As Wallace was going off to look for Dick and the guys, Dick was eating lunch with some of his Pi Sigma brothers. Chip was telling some story, but Dick was having trouble listening. He couldn't keep thinking about Mac. He hadn't seen her since he kissed her a few days ago. He wanted to call, but he hadn't. He didn't quite know what to say to her. He wanted to ask her out. But what if she said no? He was distracted from his musings when he heard Chip say, "Dude, not a good idea. I know that girl, and she is definitely not looking to make friends. Mars isn't someone you want to get on the bad side of. Believe me! Hang up the phone!"

Dick asked, "Dudes, what are you talking about? Are you talking about Veronica Mars? What have I missed?"

Chip said, "Someone put a flyer up with Veronica Mar's on it and a number to call for a good time." He showed Dick the flyer the guys had found. "I was explaining to the guys here that calling her would not be a good idea."

Dick read the flyer and said, "No, dudes, it isn't. Not only is the girl hell on wheels, but you know my bud Logan wouldn't take kindly to it. Remember the beating he gave the last four guys who did something to his girl?"

His fraternity brother Jake said, "I thought Logan Echolls and her broke up and she was with that deejay guy."

"Don't matter who she's with. Mess with her and Logan will be all over you. Of course, you know I always have his back," Dick responded in complete seriousness. A state the brothers weren't used to seeing very often.

"Dick, we're you're brothers. You're supposed to have _our _backs," Jake reminded him.

"Dude, I do have your back. But not against Logan. Never against him. You should know that by now. He's my blood brother. And Veronica Mars is my friend by association. Well, on most days," he said, smiling.

Before they guys could say more, Dick spotted Wallace coming toward him in the food court. "Yo, Fennello-Mello! Over here!"

Wallace heard Dick calling him with that annoying nick name of his and spotted him with his frat brothers. Some of them were okay, but most of them got on Wallace's nerves.

"Dick, I was looking for you. Glad to find you," he said as he pulled up a chair next to Dick. He saw the flyer on the table. "I see you've already spotted my reason for hunting you up." He picked up the flyer and crumpled it.

Jake said, "Hey, man, that wasn't yours!"

Wallace looked at him and said, "Well, it wasn't yours either. That's someone's idea of a prank, and I don't think it's funny."

"Well, who asked you?" Jake responded. "And who says it's a prank? This is the same girl who videotaped herself having sex, after all. She's probably bored with that Piz guy and is looking for a real man!"

"You don't know what you're talking about! And I suggest you shut your damn mouth right now before I shut it for you!" Wallace yelled in anger, getting up from his chair. He was sick and tired of listening to people say smack about Veronica.

Dick jumped in before things could get out of hand. "Don't listen to him, Wallace. He's just yanking your chain. Come on, let's go grab you something to drink," Dick said, getting up and taking Wallace by the arm. "Wow, Wallace! Taking on my fraternity brothers now, huh? Logan would be so proud!" he teased. "Seriously, though, that's not like you to get mad so quickly. What's going on?"

Wallace tried to shake off his anger. "I've just about had it with guys harassing Veronica. She doesn't deserve it. She didn't when _you_ were doing it in high school, and she definitely doesn't deserve it now! I'm sick of it!"

"Hey, dude, calm down! You know I don't mean anything by my jokes, and I haven't bad mouthed Ronnie since Logan and her hooked up junior year. Don't let those guys get to you! They didn't mean any harm," Dick told him.

"It's not just those guys. I just finished fending off two other guys who were harassing Veronica. One of the guys decked me and then Weevil came along and ran them off. Veronica's had a rough time the past week or so and doesn't need to put up with harassment like this," Wallace said as he and Dick sit down at another table.

"Weevil? What's he doing on campus? They didn't let him in, did they? Hearst must be desperate for new recruits," Dick sneered.

"No, Weevil works here. Veronica hooked him up when she did a favor for Dean O'Dell last fall. He got fired for a short time before school got out, but Veronica fixed that mess for him. You know those two have been allies of sort ever since he tied me to that flag pole," Wallace explained.

"Yeah, Logan has never quite known had to handle her friendship with Weevil. It makes him a bit nuts, especially knowing that Lilly Kane was doing the nasty with Weevil the whole time she was with Logan. But he tolerates Weevil 'cause Veronica neutered him!" Dick said, grinning.

"Did Logan come to campus today? We should give him and Duncan a call," Wallace said.

Dick told him that Logan didn't, but he texted Duncan to see where he was at. Duncan responded right away, saying he was nearby. "Duncan will be here in a few," Dick told Wallace.

They didn't have to wait long until Duncan came in the food court. He headed to their table. They filled them in on the latest developments. Duncan was not pleased when he heard about the flyer. He quickly came to the conclusion that Gory was behind it. Wallace told him that Veronica thought the same thing. Duncan began to realize that Gory's dad didn't effectively neutralize him. Watching how upset Veronica was when Piz broke up with her made this latest ploy from Gory even more annoying. Duncan felt that Veronica didn't need this right now. "Gory doesn't know when to quit, does he?" Duncan said to them.

"Well, with that uncle he has, he's probably not easily intimidated," Wallace observed, thinking about what Veronica told him she'd heard on Gory's Castle confession video.

Before Duncan could reply, he saw the subject under discussion head into the food court with some friends. "Look what the cat dragged in," he said to Dick and Wallace. They looked up and saw Gory. "I think I'm going to go have a chat with Gory. It seems he's forgotten our first conversation." Duncan got up and headed toward Gory. Naturally, Wallace and Dick follow. Chip and the Pi Sigmas quickly noticed that something was about to happen as Dick and his friends headed toward Sorokin, who had stopped to talk to one of the fraternity brothers.

Duncan stopped a few feet from Gory and said, "Gory, Gory, Gory. It seems you don't listen very well. I believe your daddy told you to start being a gentleman to the ladies. But instead of following his advice, you've stooped to high school pranks."

Gory smiled coldly, "Well, if it isn't Duncan Kane slumming it here at a measly liberal arts college! Should I feel honored that you'd talk to little 'ole me?" His friends laughed in encouragement. "You can run and have daddy Kane issue whatever threats he wants. My dad doesn't control me. And I'll have you know I _am_ a gentleman to the ladies. But your bitch of a friend Veronica Mars doesn't exactly fall in that category, does she?" He and his friends snickered at his insult.

"I can see words are wasted on you," Duncan said and hauled off and punched Gory. His friends made a move to jump in, and both Dick and Wallace got in their faces. Then Dick's fraternity brothers jumped up and made their way to Dick's side, letting him know in unspoken terms that they were there if needed. Gory's friends realized they were outnumbered and backed off.

Gory rubbed his jaw. "Not bad for a spoiled rich boy. I told you before my problem was with Echolls and Mars, but if you want in on the game that's fine by me. I can add you to my list." After issuing that threat, he turned and walked away, his friends following after him.

Duncan turned around and thanked the Pi Sigma's for their support. He told Dick that he was going to go find Logan. Dick went with him. Wallace told them that he'd catch up with them later at the beach house. He had a class to head to.

That afternoon Wallace headed to his room still annoyed with the events of the day. Finding Piz in the room was not a pleasant surprise. He decided to ignore Piz because he was in no mood to deal with him.

Piz looked up when Wallace came into the room. He waited for Wallace to say something. However, Wallace didn't. "Hey, Wallace, what's up?"

Wallace still didn't say anything, but he glanced at Piz. "What no hello?" Piz asked.

Wallace just didn't have it in him to keep the peace. He said, "Oh, suddenly you want to be friendly, and I'm supposed to just roll over like you've not been biting my head off the past week? Sorry, dude, not today. I've had enough crap to deal with."

"Hey, man, sorry. What's got you so worked up?" Piz asked.

"Well, let's see. First, I ran into some guys harassing Veronica and got punched trying to get them to leave her alone. Then found out Sorokin is putting up insinuating flyers about her all over campus. Then Duncan and Sorokin get into it in the cafeteria, and Dick and I almost had to fight off his friends. It's been a hell of day! And it really bothers me thinking that I'm the reason Gory's even on anyone's radar to begin with. There would be no video of you and Veronica if the Castle hadn't been trying to recruit me! And now V's gotta put up with the harassment all over again!" Wallace finished in disgust.

"Oh, Duncan Kane's beating up guys on Veronica's behalf now? What, are he and Logan taking turns now? Do they alternate weekends?" Piz said, mockingly.

That was the last straw for Wallace. He went over to Piz and slugged him, knocking him off the chair he was sitting on. "That's it! I've had enough! I'm sick to death of you dogging Veronica. You know she's my best friend, practically my sister, and yet you can't shut your mouth! I'm sorry she hurt you, man, but get over it! It's bad enough I have to put up with guys I don't know dogging her. I refuse to live with a guy doing the same thing. I'm out of here! You can stay and wallow in your bitterness all by your lonesome. I'll go stay with Logan and Dick," he added the last part knowing it'd burn Piz. He gathered up some stuff and left Piz. Piz got up, realizing too late that he had gone too far.

When Wallace got to the beach house, he was happy to see Duncan was there with Lily. After telling the guys what went down with Piz, he asked Duncan if he could take Lily outside to play. He was not in the mood to socialize with anyone. Lily was sure to put him in a better mood.

Not long after Wallace's arrival, Mac and Veronica came over. They had heard through the grapevine what had happened between Duncan and Gory in the cafeteria. Veronica was upset that Duncan has become so embroiled in her mess with Gory.

She found Duncan talking with Logan and Dick in the living room. She said, "Duncan, I heard what happened today. Why can't you leave it alone? I told you that I don't want you getting involved in this!"

Logan laughed and said, "Oh, that's rich coming from you, Veronica! You want someone to leave things alone and not get involved? Since when have you _ever_ done either of those things? Remember when I begged you practically on my knees to leave the rape investigation alone? Did you? Did it matter to you what I said? You were drugged and attacked and _still_ you couldn't leave things alone!"

"Yeah, well, look how that turned out? I should have listened, just like _you_ should've listened when I told you to leave Gory alone to begin with!" Veronica yelled at Logan.

Logan was so surprised to hear Veronica say that she should've listened that he didn't respond. Veronica turned back to Duncan and said, "You have a daughter to think about, Duncan. You don't need to bring anything down on yourself that could hurt her."

"What? Are you trying to imply I don't know how to take care of my daughter?" Duncan asked. The two of them started to argue.

Dick tried to ease the tension by saying loudly, "Make love, not war!"

Veronica looked at him disdainfully and says, "Dick, shut up! You're an idiot, and no one was talking to you!"

Mac didn't appreciate her attack on Dick and before anyone knew it, Veronica and she were arguing. Mac began telling her that everything wasn't about her, and they were all involved because they were her friends. Then Duncan jumped in, telling Veronica that he had every right to be involved, and it wasn't Veronica's place to tell him anything!

All the yelling brought Wallace back into the house with Lily. The arguing immediately caused Lily to cry. Wallace has had enough! He took Lily quickly to her crib in the guest room. He came back in and went to the kitchen and grabbed two pots and pans and began banging them together loudly. Everyone stopped yelling and turned to the new noise.

Logan inquired, "Wallace, what's with the racket?"

"Did that get your attention? I wasn't going to waste my voice screaming. You all are doing enough of that! Now everyone needs to calm down, shut up, and SIT DOWN! You're freaking out Lily, and you're giving me a headache!" Wallace yelled, fed up.

"Where is Lily?" Duncan asked.

"She's fine. I removed her from this insanity and took her to her crib. She'll need to be held and comforted whenever you can stop yelling at one another!" Finally, everyone looked at each other awkwardly, realizing how over the top they'd been.

Wallace continued, "We are all friends here. We should not be fighting one another and yelling at each other. I, for one, have had enough of that today! Veronica, you know that we are your friends and anything that happens to you, happens to us all. You cannot honestly expect Duncan or any of us to just sit back and watch you be harassed or threatened. If the situation was reversed, would you sit back and let us fight our battle alone?"

Veronica squirmed, knowing that he was right and reluctantly admitted, "You're right. If this was happening to Mac, I'd be all over it. I'm sorry Duncan." She went over to hug him when all of a sudden there was a crash and a brick's thrown threw the window. The brick hit Mac in the head, and she fell forward to the ground while glass pierced all of them.

Dick saw her fall. "Mac!" he yelled.

_To Be Continued…._

_Not my usual way of ending, I know. Please review…_


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 13: Surveying the Damage

For Logan, it all seemed to happen in slow motion. One moment Veronica was hugging Duncan and the next there was a crash; Mac fell to the floor, and Dick screamed her name as broken glass shards hit all of them. Duncan shielded Veronica with his body, but Logan could see blood on her arms. He was the farthest from the window and was basically fine. Dick ignored the piece of glass sticking in his arm and ran to Mac. Logan saw Veronica get up. She was okay; he could finally breathe again.

"Mac!" Veronica shouted as she flanked the other side of Mac. Dick had her head in his lap. "Wallace, call 911!"

Wallace headed to the phone as they heard more glass shatter. Duncan jumped up in fear. "Oh my God! Lily!" He ran to the room to check on her.

They all gathered around Mac, who slowly opened her eyes. "Ow! Ow! My head! What happened? I feel like something hit me!" she said.

Dick was so relieved to see her eyes open. "Something did hit you. Someone threw a brick through the window," Dick revealed. "You decided to stop it with your head. Are you okay?" he asked, his concern obvious.

Mac tried to sit up and winced in pain. "I think so," she said.

"Don't move, Mac," Veronica ordered. "The ambulance is on the way." She looked up to see Duncan come back in the room. "Is Lily okay? What was that crash?"

"Yes, Lily's fine. Her window wasn't broken. I went through the house and didn't see any other windows broken. It must be from outside." Duncan and Wallace headed outside to investigate.

Logan went to the sink and wet some dish towels. He handed one to Dick and then went over to Veronica. "Hey, you're bleeding. Let me help you there." Veronica looked at her arms and saw some cuts. All of a sudden, she could feel the pain. Logan took her hand and helped her up. Then he walked her over to the couch so that he could check her out.

Suddenly, the front door flew open, and Sheriff Mars rushed through the doors with his gun in his hand. He took in the scene in an instant. Immediately, he rushed to his daughter's side. "Veronica, are you alright? What's happened here?" Logan and Veronica began to fill her dad in as the paramedics came into the house. One of them began checking Mac's pulse while the other noticed the piece of glass sticking out of Dick's arm.

"I'm fine!" Dick insisted. "She's the one you need to worry about!" he informed the paramedic.

"Sir, just let me see how deep the piece of glass is in your arm. If it's not in too deep, I'll just pull it out and slap a band-aid on you," the medic said.

Dick gave him a minute to check. He doesn't even feel it when the man pulled the shard of glass out. All he noticed was how pale Mac was and the pain that filled her eyes. Mac kept saying she was fine, but Dick didn't believe her. The paramedic told her with a head injury it was always safest to get it check out. Mac was protesting. "Don't argue, Mac. You're going to the hospital!" Dick insisted, his voice raising.

Veronica looked up when she heard Dick and stopped her narration. "Is Mac okay?" she asked in concern. Dick told her that Mac was trying to say she didn't need to go to the hospital, and Dick thought she was being crazy. Mac looked at her roommate with pleading eyes. Veronica was the only one who could understand her abhorrence and distrust of hospitals.

Veronica immediately understood why Mac was so upset but told her, "Mac, Dick is right. You've got to get your head checked. You may have a concussion. It'll be okay. I'll go with you." Veronica started to get up to go toward her when her dad stopped her. He told her that although he knew she wanted to be with her friend, he needed her to stay until he got all the details on what happened tonight.

"I'm going to go with her," Dick insisted. The paramedics lifted Mac onto their gurney and Dick followed them out of the house. Before he went through the door, Dick assured Veronica he would call her as soon as the doctor told him something.

Wallace and Duncan came in. "Gory Sorokin is a dead man!" Duncan yelled, enraged.

"Now, son, calm down! Don't go issuing threats like that. It never leads to anything good," Keith told him.

Wallace said, "Sir, every one of our cars' windows has been busted out. Not every single window, but each car parked outside has at least one window broken."

As the Sherriff followed Wallace outside to investigate, Duncan looked at Logan. "You and I have to talk. Sorokin is dead! He has gone too far! Lily could've been in here!" Just the thought of that made Duncan so angry he couldn't speak.

Logan, too, was extremely angry. He knew exactly how Duncan felt. "I'm with you, dude. This is my house he's violated. My house! We'll get him!" Logan assured Duncan. After Weevil and the PCHers burned his house down in high school, he vowed to never care about a place enough to allow someone to hurt him with it. If you got too attached to things, it hurt more when they were taken from you. However, after spending so long in the hotel, he couldn't help but love his and Dick's beach house, especially with all the fun times they all had had here since moving in.

"Wait just one minute, guys! No one is doing anything without me!" Veronica insisted. "As soon as I finish talking to my dad, you're going to tell me about anything you have planned!"

She got up to go find her dad so that she could finish the report. Seeing Logan and Duncan so angry was making her anxious. She didn't think she'd ever seen Duncan so mad before, and she knew from experience that Logan was unpredictable when he got like this.

Outside she found her dad and Wallace looking at the damage. Her dad's deputies were writing down license plates. "Oh, no!" Wallace said. "I just remembered that Darrel has that police scanner you gave him for Christmas a few years ago, Keith. He loves listening to it as he goes to bed. I had better head over to my mom's and fill her in before she starts freaking out!" Wallace headed to his car. Luckily, the windows broken on his car were on the passenger side.

Veronica and her dad headedback into the house. She wasn't looking forward to finishing the report. Veronica didn't like reminding her dad about the video. She managed to keep it from him until after she left for Virginia. However, once he got back on the force, someone eventually brought it to his attention. That hadn't been a pleasant phone call.

"So, who wants to give their statement first? How about you, Logan, since it's your house. I got what you said earlier about the brick and the window crashes you heard. Anything you want to add?" Logan told him the story again. "Duncan, you mentioned Sorokin earlier. I'm assuming you're referring to Gory Sorokin, the man Logan had an altercation with last May over the video of Veronica he posted?" the Sheriff asked. Duncan said yes and told him about his first meeting with Sorokin at the party a few weeks ago and the events that followed. "So he actually threatened to kill you and Veronica?" he asked Logan.

"Yes. But I doubt a chicken shit piece of crap, who resorts to throwing bricks, has the guts," Logan said, disgustedly.

"Well, unfortunately, it's the chickens that often resort to using long range rifles. If he doesn't feel he can beat either of you in a man to man confrontation, who knows the lengths he may go to? I'm going to have one of the deputies pick him up for questioning. I want you guys to stay out of this and let me and the boys handle it." He looked at his daughter. "I mean it, Veronica. Stay out of this!" He gave her a hug and headed out.

After he walked out the door, Veronica said, "Well, I'm going to have Mac cancel all his credit cards! Then I'm going to find out who is girlfriend is and all his friends. He wants to include all my friends in his vendetta, I'll do the same! I'm going to call Dick and see how Mac's doing."

While she's dialing, Duncan said quietly to Logan, "We'll meet up later when Veronica's not around. She's not going to like where we take this, and it's better that she not know. I've got to get Lily home, so I'll catch you later."

"Yes, I agree. I know after tonight, Dick will want in on this, too," Logan said, thinking about his suspicions regarding what happened a few days ago between Dick and Mac. "He was pretty upset that Mac got hurt tonight. I'll tell Veronica you said good-bye."

When Wallace finally made it to his mom's, he found her by the phone. Sure enough, as soon as she saw him, she rushed to hug him. She told him that Darrel had heard Logan's name mentioned over the police scanner. She was about to call Keith since Wallace hadn't been answering his phone. She had called Piz, and he had said that Wallace was at Logan's. "When he told me that, my heart stopped! I am so glad you're okay! What happened?" Wallace gave her the cliff note version, leaving out the threats Gory had made to kill Logan and Veronica. While he's talking to his mom, his brother came in and heard the story.

Wallace noticed his mom's face finally when she went into the kitchen. The light was brighter in there. "Mom, what in the world happened to you?" She didn't answer. He headed toward her and put his hand on her face so that he could examine it more closely. It was clear that her face had some bruises that were fading. He looked at his brother, who gave him a sullen, angry look. "Darrel, what's been going on here? What happened to her?"

"Like you care!" Darrel exclaimed with anger.

"What? How could you say that? Of course, I care! What happened?" He looked at Darrel who said nothing but looked at their mom. "Tell me now! Mom? One of you better start talking! Just because I've been busy with class does not mean I'm not a part of this family."

"I'm fine, honey. It's nothing for you to worry about. I just had a little accident," Alicia remarked to him.

"Oh, you accidentally ran into Roger's fist?" Darrel said to his mother, his voice dripping with scorn.

"What? That man put his hands on you? Are you kidding? Why didn't you call me?" Wallace demanded in shock, looking at both of them.

"I did call you once, and you never called me back!" Darrel exclaimed.

"I didn't get any message. If you left it with Piz, he probably didn't bother writing it down. He's not been himself since Veronica and him broke up. Start talking. When did this happen?" Wallace demanded.

"It was nothing, Wallace. Roger and I had a disagreement. I got in his face over something, and he lost his temper," Alicia explained.

"Yea, like that was the first time you let him manhandle you!" Darrel accused her with a sneer.

"Okay, that's it! I'm calling the Sherriff. You don't want to give me the details, Mom, you can give it to him!" Wallace exclaimed, picking up the phone. His mother tried to tell him not to make the call, but Wallace ignored her. He knew that not only was Keith the best man who could help her with this, but Keith would be extremely angry with Wallace if something else happened and he never knew what had been going on in the first place. Not to mention, Wallace would never forgive himself if his mother got hurt again. Just because he couldn't be here all the time didn't mean he didn't care or want to protect his family. He had known that the man was no good.

"Keith, I need you to come to my mom's immediately," he said, when Keith answered the phone.

Naturally, Keith didn't hesitate, "I'm on my way."

Alicia was upset that Wallace called Keith. She doesn't want to face Keith looking like this. "I wish you hadn't called him, Wallace. I don't want him involved in my life like this," she said.

"Well, if you hadn't kept so much from Keith to begin with you may still be with him instead of wasting time on losers!" Wallace reminded her angrily. His mom flinched at his remark, and he felt instantly guilty. "I'm sorry, Mom. I'm just upset. I should've been here for you. I never liked the look of that guy to begin with." He went over to hug her. It's not long before there was a knock at the door. Darrel went to open it.

Keith came in and as soon as he saw Alicia, he knew something serious has happened. He took Alicia's hand and gently guided her into the living room. He soon had her spilling out all the details. He talked softly to her. She began to cry, "I'm so embarrassed that you got called about this." Keith put his arms around her, assuring her that there was no need for her embarrassment. Alicia was the only woman since Lianne that he'd ever loved. It burned him to think some man dared to hurt her. "Don't worry, Alicia, I'm going to take care of this. You don't need to be embarrassed or to worry. I need to talk to Wallace for a moment." He got up and indicated that Wallace should talk to him in the next room.

"Wallace, I doubt I can get your mom to pressure charges against this man. Have you ever witnessed anything?" Wallace told Keith no and filled him in on his impressions of the guy and why he moved out to begin with. "Keith, I knew the guy was a loser, but I had no idea he was violent. I would never have moved out if I thought that!" Wallace exclaimed, feeling guilty.

"Don't feel guilty, Wallace. In most cases, the violence would've occurred if you'd still lived here or not. Abusers normally wait to abuse when there's no one around who can stand up to them. He would've done it when you were in class or at practice. I'm going to talk your mom into filing for a restraining order that I will personally deliver to the man. I'll make sure he knows that the relationship is over, and he'd better not come around. She'll never have to see him again," Keith assured Wallace. Wallace was relieved. He told Keith, "You watch out for my mom, and I'll head back to campus and watch out for your daughter. Don't worry, I won't let her do anything too crazy!"

Keith laughed, "You do that! Although to be honest, I'm more worried about what Logan or Duncan may do. Keep your eyes on them. Don't let them cross the line."

Wallace agreed. He then told his mom goodbye, knowing that Keith could use some time alone with her. He secretly hoped that this ugly incident would bring the Sherriff back in his mom's life on a regular basis. As strange as it had been for him and Veronica, at least he knew his mom was always being treated the way she deserved when she had been with Keith.

At the hospital, Dick finished giving Veronica an update on Mac. The doctors didn't think it was necessary to keep her overnight. They ran a CAT scan and everything looked normal. Dick told Veronica that he was hopeful that she'd be released in a few hours. They wanted her to stay for observation for a few hours at least. He assured Veronica that he was okay staying with her and that Mac would need her when he brought her home. Dick would call when they were heading out.

Dick hung up the phone, relieved that he managed to convince Veronica not to come. He needed to be alone with Mac right now. He wanted her to himself; he needed to assure himself that she was okay. Seeing her hurt had so upset him. Not since his brother died had he been so shaken. He headed back into the cubicle area of the ER where she was. "Well, Mackie, I told Ronnie the good news. She's going to be waiting at your room to take care of you when you get back home. I told her we'd call when they release you," he told her as he sat in the chair by her bed. He picked up her hand. "How do you feel?"

"I'm okay. The pain medicine they gave me is some good stuff. I'm exhausted," Mac replied wearily.

"Well, you can't sleep. The doctor said you gotta stay awake while you're here in case you have a slight concussion," Dick told her.

"Thanks, Dick, for coming with me to the hospital and being here," Mac said, looking shyly up at him. She could tell he'd been really worried and upset. Although she wasn't used to this kind of attention, she was a bit flattered by it.

"Of course, I'm here. Where else would I be? When you fell, it scared me to death! I'm so relieved you're okay. I'm not sure what I would do if something happened to you," he said to her, looking at her in all seriousness. He couldn't resist and leaned over and gently kissed her. He meant to give her a quick kiss on the lips, but when his lips touched hers he couldn't help himself. Mac lifted her hand and put it behind his neck, giving him permission to deepen the kiss. The nurse came in, and he finally allowed himself to pull away. He grinned when he saw Mac's face flushed. "That's one way to put some color back in your cheeks!" he teased her.

When the nurse left, Mac admonished, "Dick, you need to stop doing that!"

"Why? I like kissing you! I'm developing quite a taste for it!" he teased, giving her a flirtation look. "You know you can't resist me!"

"Well, I'll admit you do have your moments. Sometimes you _are_ hard to resist. Like now when I'm weak and drugged up!" Mac joked. "But what are we doing, Dick? I thought we were friends? You've never indicated anything else until you kissed me a few days ago. If you recall, we weren't even on a date at the time but in the middle of an argument!" Mac reminded him, confused. Since they were going to be together for a few hours, she figured it was time they talked about it. She didn't like not understanding things.

"Well, I hadn't exactly planned on kissing you, but it seemed like the thing to do at the time. And wow! You really know how to rock a guy's world, Mackie!" he said, grinning.

Mac turned red again. He really knew how to make her blush, but she still laughed. "Dick, I can honestly say you are the first man to say that to me."

"Well, I hope I'm the last!" He grinned at her but continued in a serious tone, "I know we've become friends the past few months. You're probably the first real friendship I've ever had with a woman. Veronica and I skate around, but she's not exactly easy to be around, if you know what I mean? I never knew what it would be like being friends with a girl. At first, I did think because of my brother and that I'd treat you like you were my little sister and watch out for you. Regardless of what he did, I know he cared about you. Even though I told you otherwise back when I was all messed up over it, I know he did. He'd want me to watch out for you," Dick confessed.

Mac was both surprised and touched by his remarks. They never really discuss Cassidy. Not since that day on the beach when Dick had apologized for his treatment of them both. She wasn't sure what to say. But she ventured with, "I take it you aren't thinking of me as a sister anymore? At least I hope not!"

He smiled and said, "You know I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, I'll admit. It took me awhile to realize exactly why I hated seeing you talk to John. The thought of you actually going out with him made me crazy. I just knew I had to convince you otherwise. It still didn't dawn on me that I wanted you for myself. When we were at my place arguing, it was like a light came on. I was looking at you, and I knew."

"What did you know?" Mac asked, needing to hear him say it.

"I knew that I was crazy about you. I knew that you probably didn't feel the same way, but I was going to kiss you anyway. I thought it may be my only chance," Dick finished, looking at her intently. Mac had never seen him so serious.

For a moment, Mac and Dick just look at each other without saying a word. Finally, Mac said, "Dick, I don't know what to say. It's true I haven't really thought of you that way. When I started hanging out at the beach house, I mostly thought of you, Logan, and Wallace as my brothers. This is until that day I saw you in a towel. It was kind of hard after that to keep you in the brother category."

Dick grinned and said, "Yep, I know I'm pretty! It was only a matter of time. You're too smart not see it!"

Mac laughed at his posturing. She told him, "Yes, you're pretty, Dick. I just don't know if us as a couple is a good idea. I'm not sure I can see it. Can you really see yourself with me? Because you know, I'm not like some of the girls you've been with. Nor will I be one of many."

"I don't want any other girls, Mac. Haven't you noticed I haven't even dated anyone since Logan and I moved in to the beach house? I didn't realize the reason at the time, but these days you are the only female I ever want to be around."

"Really?" Mac asked, in surprise.

"How about we just go out on a date and see what happens? We don't need to rush into anything. Let's just spend some time together just the two of us and see how it goes," Dick offered.

"I think that's a good idea. Slow is good. I don't want to hurt you, Dick. I do care about you. You've become important to me. But to be honest, I haven't ever really thought of you as boyfriend material. However, I can handle a date, and we can see where it goes," Mac said, smiling up at him.

He was so happy to hear that, so he leaned over and kissed her again. This time he managed to restrain himself. He didn't want to rock the boat. She said yes. For now that was enough. He looked at her and grinned.

After Veronica finished talking with Dick, she filled Logan in on what he said. She looked around and realized that they were all alone. She went into the kitchen to sit down at the kitchen table since there was glass all over the living room. Logan followed and sat down next to her.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

She turned to face him, wondering if she had a right to say what she wanted to ask. "No, not really. I know you're upset with me right now but would mind holding me for a bit? I could really use a hug," she asked, looking up at him with those eyes of hers.

How could he say no? He didn't say anything. He just put his arms around her. Like so many other times, words weren't necessary between them.

Veronica didn't know really how long she sat there in his arms. It had been so long since he held her. So long since she felt safe and at peace. Finally, she pulled away and looked up at him. For once, he wasn't looking at her in anger or disgust. Neither was he looking at her in disinterest. She wished he would kiss her but there was too much unsaid between them.

Logan looked at her and felt the hole inside of him begin to heal. He raised his hand and touched her cheek. "It'll be okay, Veronica. I'm here for you. Always." She smiled in response and put her head back down on his chest, not ready to end the moment. She knew there was a lot she needed to say to him, but she didn't want to break the peace between them. In this moment, she was content.

_Now I know you may be screaming "Kiss him already!" but not yet! Sorry! I hope you liked it anyway! Please review!_


	15. Chapter 15

*****Warning: This chapter focuses solely on revenge. No romance. Some of you may be uncomfortable with the direction. I originally had this chapter outlined for chapter 15, but I thought it'd be better to address Gory immediately so that I could focus on the character driven plot. I will pick back up the respective story lines in the next chapter. I hope you like this one okay.*****

Chapter 14: Gory Gets His

The next day following the brick in the window, Logan, Duncan, Dick, and Wallace were at the beach house discussing the previous night's events.

"I never want to experience a day with so much drama the _rest_ of my life! How's a man supposed to have any peace!" Wallace complained. "Between Piz, the guys harassing V, Dick's frat brothers, Duncan and Gory, _and _the brick through the window, my day yesterday was already overly full! Then it has to be topped off with finding out my mom's loser boyfriend was putting his hands on her! It's too much!"

"Yea, your day was even worse than the rest of us! I'm glad you called Keith in on it though. He'll straighten that guy out. He can't stand to see a woman abused. If I so much as raised my voice to Veronica when we were dating, he'd get worked up," Logan told him.

"So what's the plan to get Gory to back off?" Dick asked. "One of my fraternity brothers knows him and said he was more than happy to let people know today that he'd finally delivered a message Echolls wouldn't be able to ignore."

"He actually admitted to trashing the windows?" Wallace asked.

"Nah, he just bragged and hinted about putting Logan in his place to one of the brothers who has class with him," Dick explained. "But we all know it was him and what he was talking about. We can't let him get away with it! Mac was really hurt and especially upset about having to go to the hospital. I don't like seeing Mac so upset! Who knows what stunt he'll pull next time!" The guys nodded their heads in agreement.

"I still can't think about what could've happened to Lily if she'd been in the living room without feeling sick to my stomach. Thank God, Wallace, you'd taken her into the other room. I owe you one, man!" Duncan said, placing his hand on Wallace's shoulder in gratitude.

"Well, whatever we decide to do, I don't think it's a good idea to tell Veronica. If she finds out that we did anything without including her, she'll get extremely angry," Logan said. "And we all know how difficult she can make life for us when she's mad!"

"I agree," Duncan responded. "We know Veronica can be creative with the payback, but she's not as hardcore as she would like people to think. She won't like where we're going to take this. We'll have to keep her out of this one because there's no way I'm going to let Gory get away with endangering my daughter!"

"I don't know, guys. While I agree Veronica is really a marshmallow, I don't lie to her," Wallace grudgingly confessed.

"Dude, you don't have to lie to her. Just don't tell her anything," Dick offered.

"I'm her best friend. I can't lie to her! Purposely withholding important information is still being dishonest. It's the same as lying. Besides, she'll be really hurt and upset with me if she finds out I knew what you were up to or was party to it. Not to mention what the Sheriff would say! He told me I needed to keep you guys outta of trouble, not join you. You know I can't lie to the man if he asks me straight up," Wallace responded, frustrated.

"Well, Wallace, if you don't have the stomach for it, then you probably shouldn't be involved," Duncan told him, not willing to let anything detour him from making sure his daughter and friends were protected.

"Yea, no offense, Wallace, but I have to agree with Duncan. You know you're welcome to join us. But if you think it's going to be too much or know you can't keep it from Veronica, then it may be best if you leave. We don't want to put you in that position. I know better than anyone what she's like when she gets upset with you. Not to mention, how it feels to have her disappointed in you," Logan said.

"Alright. I think I'll head out. But if things get sticky or you need an extra hand, you can call me. I don't want to let you guys down," Wallace offered.

"It's okay, Wally-World. There's an upside of having a hot girl as a best friend, but the down side is you can't ever get away with much, especially if the hot girl is smart like Ronnie. It's worse than having a girlfriend!" Dick joked, grinning.

"Like you'd know what having a girlfriend was like!" Duncan teased.

"Hey, I'm working on it, dude! I finally got Mac to agree to go out on a date with me!" Dick bragged, proud to share his new secret.

"Awesome, man! We were all wondering when you'd figure out you liked her!" Duncan said with a laugh.

"She actually said yes?" Wallace asked, shaking his head in surprise. "I thought that girl was smarter than that! I can see I'm going to have to have a talk with her!"

Dick grinned at him in response and said, "Won't matter, dude. She's gotten a taste of the Dickster, and she won't want to miss out on a chance for more!" The guys, of course, laugh at the picture he was painting. They know Mac was nobody's fool. Wallace said goodbye to them and headed to the door.

"So what's the plan, dudes?" Dick asked. "You know I'm up for anything."

Logan smiled at him fondly, thinking back to the summer he'd gone to war with Weevil and his gang. Dick never once questioned any of his impulsive and angry retaliation plans. He was always willing to do whatever Logan asked. Thinking of Weevil, brought an idea to Logan's mind.

"Hey, I gotta an idea. Did I ever tell you about Weevil's plan to get me to confess to killing Felix senior year?" Logan asked.

"You mean when Weevil got you out alone with his guys and jumped you?" Dick inquired.

"That's what I told you, but I left a lot out," Logan told them. "What actually happened was I got jumped from behind and a bag thrown over my head and then I was thrown, unconscious into the back of a van."

"Dude!" Dick exclaimed in disbelief.

"That's just the beginning. I wake up strapped down with two guys in masks standing over me with a third in the background. One tells me that the guy standing behind them is the judge and executioner. They want to know if I killed Felix. If they don't like my answer, they're going to kill me. They then proceed to play Russian Rolette with my hand. And finally with my dick."

"No way! They put a gun to your dick and pulled the trigger? I would've shit my pants!" Dick exclaimed, horrified at the thought.

"Yeah, well, believe me, it wasn't my finest moment. I don't think there were any actual bullets in the gun, but at the time I didn't know that. Weevil was looking for the truth more than seeking to punish me. He suspected something was off in what his guys were telling him. Naturally being Weevil, he decided to eliminate me as a viable suspect first before flushing out the culprit in his gang. Of course, I went insane on him for putting me through that."

"It's a wonder someone didn't get seriously hurt after that," Duncan said. "I had wondered why you were so set on punishing Weevil when you'd said he was unconscious after you kicked him on the bridge. He didn't get any blows in that night."

"I knew Weevil orchestrated my little lesson because I nabbed one of their phones. And after they threw me out of the van on a deserted road, he called the phone thinking it was one of the guys," Logan explained, finishing his tale. "I was thinking just now that my experience with the PCHers might come in handy with Gory," he explained, smiling deviously at them.

"Oh, I like how your mind works!" Duncan said with glee. "I'll call CW right now and have him nab Gory. I've got some ideas to add to yours. I'm sure CW will have some of his own."

Two days later, Duncan called Logan and told him to come and bring Dick to one of the Kane's empty buildings on the outskirts of town. Weidman was holding Gory there. Logan and Dick headed to the address in eager anticipation. When they arrived, Duncan was waiting outside for them.

"So what's the plan?" Logan asked.

"CW managed to grab Gory a few hours ago when he was alone," Duncan told them.

"Did he put up a fight?" Logan inquired.

"No, Weidman doesn't take a chance with that kind of stuff. He rendered Gory unconscious before he knew what hit him," Duncan explained. "Gory woke up awhile ago in a back room in this building. We put him in a room that has a single, small window. The window is about eight feet above the floor, so he can't reach it. Nor would he be able to crawl out if he did. CW left him a bucket and a gallon of water."

"What's the bucket for?" Dick asked, confused.

"What do you think, you big doofus? Do you think we're going to let him out every time he needs to take a whiz?" Duncan said, laughing at him. Dick smiled sheepishly in comprehension.

"Again I ask: what's the plan?" Logan said to Duncan.

"CW and I figured we'd let him stew in there for awhile, play some psychological head games with him," Duncan answered with a satisfied grin.

"Sounds like fun!" Logan said.

"There's a camera installed in the room with a small light spotlighting our guest. Come on in and take a look." Duncan opened the door and motioned for them to follow him. He took them down a hall into a small office. There was a desk with a monitor on it. They could see Duncan wasn't exaggerating. There was clear surveillance on Gory who seemed really worked up. He was pacing back and forth. Occasionally, he stopped and yelled out threats.

"Have you went in and said anything to him?" Logan asked Duncan.

"Actually, CW and I were thinking it'd be more effective if we just left him sitting here by his lonesome for a few days. CW says its the best way to ensure maximum psychological torture," Duncan explained, smiling. "We'll throw him a bite to eat once a day and keep him hydrated."

"Man, your family's security guy doesn't mess around!" Dick exclaimed. "I'd hate to get on his bad side."

"Yea, he's hardcore. And his loyalty to the family is absolute. My dad and he go back years. I've never quite gotten the full story out of either of them on how they began working together. Even though technically he's my dad's employee, my dad consults him on just about everything. He's the only one dad seriously listens to, especially anything that has to do with the best interests of the family or the company," Duncan told them.

The guys hung out for awhile and discussed the exact details for their face to face confrontation with Gory in a few days. Once they reached a satisfying agreement with how they were going to play it, Dick and Logan headed out.

Driving back home, Logan asked Dick how Mac was doing. Dick told Logan she was doing fine. There hadn't been any serious damage.

"Well, it's a night we won't forget that's for sure," Logan told him. "You seemed pretty freaked out when Mac fell down. I'm impressed with how you've really risen to the occasion lately. Mac brings out a good side in you."

"She's amazing, dude!" Dick agreed.

"So are you going to give me the details about how you managed to get her to agree to go on a date with you?" Logan asked, smiling. "I knew last week there was something going on between you when I came in to the house, and you were staring at each other so intently; and then Mac ran out the door without saying goodbye!"

"Yeah, we started out arguing about how I didn't want her to go out with that loser John."

"You admitted you were jealous? I'm surprised. I didn't know you were so intuitive," Logan said.

"Well, of course not! I didn't even realize I _was_ jealous, dude! I thought I was just being a good friend. You know, overprotective like a brother. Like Wallace is with Ronnie," Dick explained. "It wasn't until we were in each others' face screaming that I suddenly realized it wasn't really anger I was feeling-if you know what I mean! It was literally like a light came on!" Dick grinned at the memory.

"I know _exactly_ what you mean. Remember all the fighting Ronnie and I did before we got together the first time? I always referred to it as foreplay," Logan said, smiling.

"You _would_ call it that!" Dick laughed. "Anyway, as I was looking at Mac I figured 'what the hell?', and I just grabbed her and kissed her. I have kissed a lot of girls, Logan, but that kiss! Wow!" Dick shared, obviously still affected by the memory.

"Kissing the right girl does make all the difference," Logan agreed. "I'm glad you finally figured that out. I feel like a proud papa!" he teased. "Mac matters to you. You're kissing someone that matters for the first time. It is very different. Why else do you think I have so much trouble moving on from Veronica? It's not easy going back to empty, meaningless relationships when you've had the real deal. I did that with Kendall, and it served no purpose outside of hurting Ronnie and making me feel something besides homicidal every time I saw her with Duncan. Then when I tried dating a decent girl like Parker, I just ended up hurting her. It wasn't her fault she wasn't Veronica. Now I realize I can't force things with someone. I'm glad you and Mac are taking time to figure out if it can work between you."

They didn't say anything for a few minutes. Then Logan asked Dick when are they going to have their first date. Dick told him that he figured it'd be best to wait until they deal with the Gory situation. Logan agreed.

Later that night, Logan was preparing for bed, thinking about the recent, highly emotional events. In particular, the moment between him and Veronica after everyone had left his house. She had been really shaken. He didn't like seeing her like that. In his mind, she was so strong and fearless. Rarely did she allow him or anyone close enough to see her needy or vulnerable. It probably hadn't been the best idea holding her in his arms like that. It made him long for things that weren't meant to be. Every time a crisis or tragedy strikes, he and Veronica somehow end up back in each other's arms. However, he wasn't going to allow that to happen this time. There was always a lot of intense emotions between the two of them. In a crisis, it'd naturally heighten. He'd always become convinced that she needed him and she loved him. But the first time he disappointed her in some way, she'd walk away leaving him just a little bit more broken than before.

He was not strong enough to cut her completely out of his life. He doubted he ever will be. Being friends would satisfy the part of him that was incapable of walking away from her. Somehow he had to find a way to put some distance between them again. For the first time in his life, he really liked who he had become. Maybe it started out with him trying to make himself a better man for her. However, now he knew that unless he liked who he was and could be happy with himself, he would always find ways to sabotage the good things in his life.

Now as he examined himself, he discovered that he was no longer restless, bitter, or angry. He had friends in his life that he knew cared about him and that he could count on. His life didn't revolve anymore around Veronica and whether or not she loved him. Nor was his life about him trying to find a way to make her love him. He meant it when he told her last night that he'll always be there for her; he will be. However, he could not allow her to be there for him. Depending on Veronica Mars to fulfill any of his emotional needs never led anywhere good for long. He doubted there would ever be a time when he wouldn't love her. Loving her came as naturally to him as breathing. Nevertheless, for his own sense of self-preservation, he must find a way to not be _in_ love with her; only pain and disappointment lay in that direction.

Two days later, Logan got a call from Duncan that it was time. Gory was about to come apart at the seams. Logan grabbed Dick, and they met up with Duncan at the place Gory was being held. Duncan let them into the office so that they could see for themselves the affect Gory's confinement has had on him. Gory was on the floor, leaning against the wall hugging his knees mumbling to himself. Logan couln't help but smile in satisfaction. "A better man may feel sorry for Gory right now. I, however, feel an enormous sense of satisfaction," Logan said with a satisfied smirk.

"It's not like we've actually hurt him," Dick said. "Unlike what he did to us. He deserves more than this." He was never going to forget the picture of Mac falling to the floor.

"Don't worry, Dick, he'll get more," Duncan said, pulling a gun out of the desk. It was one of those old six-shooters like Clint Eastwood used in his Dirty Harry movies. "CW left this for me. It's not loaded yet."

"So we _are_ planning on killing him?" Dick asked, unsure of how he felt about it. He just knew Mac probably wouldn't approve.

"Of course not, Dick," Logan told him. "Remember my Weevil story? We're going to play our own little game of Russian Rolette with him." Dick grinned in understanding.

Duncan grabbed a bullet from the drawer. "This looks real enough, doesn't it?" he asked them. When they indicated it did, he explained, "It's a blank. Naturally, Gory won't know that." He was grinning as he told them.

They headed into the room with Duncan leading the way. Duncan flipped the lights on as they passed through the doorway. Gory jumped to his feet and looked at them all in disbelief.

"It's you! I thought it must be! You are so f***ing dead!" he screamed in rage. He saw that they had no weapons and charged at Logan. However, Logan saw it coming and knocked Gory to the ground with a strong blow to his face. He relished once again getting to hit the man who dared threaten and hurt those he loved. He silently urged Gory to come at him again so the beating could continue.

Gory knew when he was outmanned. Like a snake, he waited for the right time to strike. If not now, his moment would come. The rage burned within him. He spit the blood out of his mouth and looked up in hatred. "Do you having any f***ing idea who my uncle is? When he finds out about this you're all going to die. You and everyone you care about!"

Duncan went over to him and jerked him to his feet. He wanted to make sure that Gory could see the deadly serious intent in his eyes. "Look at me!" he commanded Gory. "Do you know who _I_ am? I have unlimited resources to make you wish you were never born! There's nowhere you can run or hide that _I_ can't find you! Your family can't even come close to mine, and you damn well know it. You messed with the wrong person. My daughter was in Logan's house when you pulled that stunt! My two year old daughter! Do you understand me? Are you listening? Because I'm only going to say this once. You will drop out of Hearst and move to another state, preferably on the other side of the country. Let me make myself very clear: Your family isn't the only one who can kill people and make them disappear. I know people, too!"

Duncan pulled out the gun and put it to Gory's head. Gory's eyes widened in terror. "If I see you again or hear about you causing problems from a distance for me or any of my friends, you're dead." Duncan pulled the trigger, and it clicked. "Next time, the gun will be loaded." He released his hold on Gory and turned to walk out.

Then he stopped and turned back and said to Gory, "Oh, I almost forgot. We have your Castle confession of your eye witness account of your dear uncle committing murder and disposing of the bodies. If I hear a whisper of scandal about Veronica or anyone else, I'll be sending a copy to your uncle. Let's see him protecting you then." With that final declaration, he walked out the door.

Logan and Dick looked at Duncan's retreating back and then looked at each other. They were having a hard time wrapping their minds around what they just witnessed. Dick especially never knew Duncan possessed any qualities that would compel him to do that. They glanced back at Gory who had fallen to his knees. Neither of them felt it was necessary to add anything to the scene Duncan just played before them. In complete accordance, the two follow after Duncan like they used to do back when Lilly Kane had been alive. Duncan had led, and they had normally followed. That was when Lilly wasn't the one leading.

"Dude! You freakin' rock! That was the most badass thing I've ever seen!" Dick exclaimed. "I never dreamed it would be you leading the charge like that. I knew Logan had it in him, but you...Wow!" Dick finally stopped, not sure how to express his awe.

"Yea, Duncan, you had all the fun. No fair!" Logan said, grinning. "However, just this once, I think I'll forgive you. Did you see the look on his face? I thought he was going to cry!" Logan laughed.

Duncan smiled slightly in acknowledgment. He responded, "Well, I'm not sure if that's exactly what I planned to do either. But when he was still trying to threaten us, something in me just snapped. The days of me feeling powerless are gone. I spent the last two years of high school detached and in a fog. When I left with Lily, I promised I would never be that man. I would be someone my sister and my daughter would be proud of."

"Well, brother, I know the Lilly Kane I loved would have been blown away by that little performance. I don't think she could find any fault with it or find a way to improve it! Let's just hope Gory takes the hint and lets this be the end of it," Logan said.

"I'm going to call CW; he'll come and take care of Gory. He'll drop him off somewhere and reinforce the promise I made in his own special way," Duncan said with satisfaction.

A few hours later, Gory woke up some place he didn't recognize. His head was pounding. He hurt everywhere from sleeping on the floor the past few days. Thirst and hunger vived for dominance inside him. Anger and humiliation blazed within him. Duncan had shaken him. The reminder of the wealth and power at the Kane's disposal wasn't one he could easily dismiss. However, he'd bide his time. He could be patient. An opportunity would arise. Provoking Duncan Kane had been foolish. He knew that now. He blamed that bitch Veronica Mars for his predicament. And Logan Echolls. "One day when they least expect it, I'll find away to make them pay!" he vowed. Their day would come….

_I couldn't resist the cliché of the bad guy vowing vengeance. Whether or not he does, I guess will eventually be discovered! I know this isn't my best chapter. However, I promise the next one will be better! Review anyway! I can take it! _


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 15: Taking Off the Masks

Veronica headed to psychology class in a hopeful mood. The attack from Gory had put her in a place she'd not been in awhile. However, she felt like the event had also bound her and her friends closer together. Mac was okay and told her that Dick had been really great with her at the hospital. She'd also gone to work on messing up Gory's credit report. Veronica didn't even have to talk her into it. Mac, too, was eager to dish out some payback to the guy who forced her trip to the hospital. Veronica was planning to go by Gory's dorm room to do some snooping around to see if she could find anything to use.

As she entered the classroom, she saw Logan. He always seemed to get there before her. He was finally coming back to class. The best thing about the attack from Gory was that Logan had finally quit treating her like a stranger. He had been there for her to lean on even though he'd been mostly upset with her up until then. She'd hope they'd be able to work on their relationship. Piz being out of her life made her sad, but Logan not even coming to class last week created a panic inside of her. Having him in her life wasn't always easy or comfortable. But who was she if she didn't have him in her life in some way? Seeing who she was as reflected in his eyes had become something she counted on. His disappointment in her was not something she'd seen very often. At least today, he greeted her with a smile.

"Good morning, Logan. Did you do the reading last night?" she asked him.

"Actually, I didn't get a chance. Dick and Duncan and I were working on a project and lost track of time. I'll catch up this afternoon," he replied evasively.

"Project? What project?" she asked. A thought came into her mind. "You guys better not be plotting about Gory without me! I already got Mac working on his credit. I thought today I'd go by his dorm room and see what I can find."

"Don't bother. We won't need to worry about Gory anymore. He's left school," Logan said with satisfaction.

"What? Why? What did you do?" she demanded upset. "I told you I wanted in on whatever you guys planned. You had no right to do anything without me!"

"Well, it's done. He's gone. He won't be bothering us anymore. We decided to handle him ourselves for once," Logan said, unapologetic.

"Why? I had every right to be a part of it!" she said, angrily. "I'm the one he targets."

"Oh, so do you feel frustrated and helpless that we went behind your back and acted without asking your help?" Logan asked pointedly. "We don't need your permission to do anything, Veronica. Duncan and I agreed that you wouldn't like what we planned on doing, so we didn't involved. You are the sheriff's daughter after all."

Veronica looked at him in disbelief. A sense of betrayal grew inside of her. "You had no right, Logan! What did you do? Gory's alive, isn't he? I can't believe Duncan would let you do something that was too awful."

Logan looked at her and shook his in disappointment. "Yeah, we know Duncan is a prince who can do no wrong, and I'm from the evil seed. It's good of you to not let me forget. You can rest easy, Veronica. Your golden boy hasn't tarnished himself with Gory's blood. I hate to disillusion you, but Duncan isn't the man you used to know. He wanted to deal with Gory even worse than I did. He also agreed that it wouldn't be wise to involve you. Gory has focused on you enough. We just put it to him in no uncertain terms that it was in his best interests to get out of Dodge so to speak. It's done, so you might as well get over it."

Veronica felt really cheated. However, she wasn't really that surprised that they acted without her. Logan was not one to wait. She didn't like him turning things around on her, however, like she was the one in the wrong for even asking. "I don't think Duncan's perfect, Logan. You should know that by now. It's just you don't always think things through. You tend to react. I wasn't trying to imply you were less than him. I don't appreciate that accusation. You knew how I'd feel about this and you did it anyway!" she said, accusingly.

Logan looked at her indifferently and said, "Veronica, I can't really find it in me to feel bad or sorry. You've done this many times to me. When we were together, how many times did you go ahead and do something you knew I wouldn't like? My feelings or fears were less important than your drive for justice. You of all people have no right to throw stones or act like the victim over this. I don't owe you anything, Veronica. Gory attacked _my_ house. He endangered _my_ friends. He targeted you because of _me_! This was _not_ your fight! We are not a team anymore. That is a reality that you decided months ago, so don't attack me now because I acted without you." Veronica wasn't able to respond due to the fact that class finally started.

As soon as class was over, she turned to Logan and said, "I thought we were friends, Logan."

"We are. We didn't act without you to hurt you. We did what we felt needed to be done. I'm here if you need me. But things change, Veronica. We can't go back. We are where we are because you wanted us to be there. I've accepted it. I'm done apologizing to you," he informed her.

He grabbed his stuff and walked out of the class, not wanting to discuss things further with her. He didn't like fighting with her. However, after the events of the week, he knew he had to create some distance from her. After what Duncan did to Gory, Logan realized he wasn't alone in wanting to punish someone that hurt someone he loved. There wasn't anything wrong with him. It burned him that Veronica still made him feel less. In her mind, Duncan could do no wrong. A part of him wanted to give her some ugly truths about him. But what was the point? She only saw Logan a certain way. It didn't matter what he told her about Duncan. Logan would always be the bad boy she needed to reform- the one she instinctively distrusted. He meant what he said. He was done apologizing to her. Maybe they would have to pretend to be friends more than actually _be_ friends. He refused to let her upset him anymore. He _would_ find a way to move on.

Veronica followed after him slowly. She was not sure what just happened. Her anger at discovering the guys took care of Gory was quickly fading. Logan's comments to her really stung. She didn't like the implication that she made him feel like he was always apologizing to her, nor the fact that he didn't seem to really care that she was upset with him. Logan always wore his heart on his sleeve. She rarely had to guess where she stood with him. He always cared about her opinion. Now, however, it seemed like he really didn't. She didn't like acknowledging the fact that he was right. She had wanted him to move on. She did with Piz. Could she really blame him now?

Lost in thought, she didn't hear the voice that called out to her. Finally she heard, "Veronica! Wait up!" She stopped and turned around to see Jazmin walking quickly to her. She smiled in welcome.

"I saw you coming out of class and was trying to get your attention. You seem deep in thought. What's up?" Jazmin asked, smiling.

"Well, my life seems to go from one complication to another these days," Veronica said.

"Oh, that can only mean one thing-boy trouble! Men, can't live with them and can't live without them! Who else would open up those hard to open jars?" she asked in mock seriousness.

Veronica laughed at her. "You're right. Let's not forget, who'd we get to kill those nasty spiders or reach those top shelves? Although that's probably not so much a problem for you!" she observed as she looked at her much taller new friend. Jazmin was about 5 ft 8 inches tall. Of course, her supermodel good looks would be accompanied by the required height requirement!

Jazmin smiled. "Are you headed to photography club? I'll walk with you. I brought my portfolio."

"Oh, crap! I forgot to bring mine. I'll have to bring it next time." They headed to the club meeting. The ones who brought their portfolios took a few minutes introducing the subjects they like to focus on. Jazmin showed the first page of hers. She told the group that she liked capturing moments of passion or unguarded vulnerability in people. Nature photos weren't really her thing.

After the meeting, Veronica asked Jazmin if she wanted to go with her to the food court and show her more of her pictures. Jazmin happily agreed. She loved showing people the work that she was so proud of. It was nice to be appreciated for talent and not her looks.

In the food court, they quickly found a table. Veronica looked slowly through Jazmin's portfolio. It was apparent right away that for Jazmin photography was not a hobby. The first page featured close ups of faces that captured the naked emotion on the faces of the subject. One was a child's pure joy. Another of a man looking down on his daughter in love and pride. One picture really shook Veronica. It showed a woman obviously under the influence. The glassy look in her eye was disturbingly familiar to her. However, it was the dissatisfaction and sorrow found in her face that hit Veronica. A picture of Veronica's own mother flashed in her mind. So often Veronica had focused on the glassy look in her mom's eyes. Looking at this photo, she realized that the sorrow and dissatisfaction were also there for her to see if she'd bothered to look.

The next page featured couples in various poses. Passion and love seemed to be the motif. As Veronica was looking at each one, Duncan walked up to them. He was surprised to see Veronica looking at a photo of a naked couple kissing passionately. "Well, ladies, are we looking at our smut pictures in public now? That's very modern of you!" he joked.

Both women looked at him, Veronica in shock and Jazmin in hurt and anger. "What? This isn't smut!" Jazmin protested. "This is art!"

"Art? Is that what we're calling it now?" Duncan laughed, not realizing his jokes were inflicting pain he didn't intend.

Jazmin was normally a confident, self-assured person. Finding words to say wasn't normally an issue for her. Unfortunately, she never took criticism of her photography well. For her, it was the most personal part of her. To have someone she didn't know well ridicule it hurt. She knew Duncan Kane came from extreme wealth; his opinion in particular bothered her. She got up from the table, closing her portfolio. "I'm sorry you find my work to be garbage. I won't offend your eyes with it." She grabbed her portfolio and walked away.

Veronica was torn between going after her and yelling at Duncan. Her desire to yell at Duncan was stronger at the moment. "Duncan Kane! I can't believe you! What's wrong with you? How could you be so rude and mean?" she yelled at him.

"What? I was just joking!" he responded defensively.

"Jazmin was giving me the privilege of seeing her amazing work. She has more talent than I could ever dream about having in photography. You came up and spit all over it! How could you?" Veronica demanded.

"Oh God, I didn't realize! I just walked up and saw a picture of a couple kissing. They appeared to be naked. I wasn't trying to insult anyone. I was just teasing. I don't usually walk up and see you viewing naked photos. I didn't realize it was Jazmin's pictures. Nor was I trying to insult her work," Duncan said, apologetically.

"Well, you did! Did you see her face? It's never easy showing someone something important or personal. We've just started to become friends, and she trusted me with something valuable. You came in and made her feel awful! I can't believe you did that!" Veronica accused, looking at him in disgust.

"I'm sorry, Veronica! I'll apologize to her. I'll explain. I didn't mean to hurt her or belittle her work. I didn't even look at all the pictures. I just…" he stopped, not knowing how to defend himself. Hurting women was not something he ever tried to do. It kind of made him sick to think he accidentally hurt someone with his careless words. "What should I do?" he asked.

"I don't know. Talking to her and explaining would probably help," Veronica answered.

"Do you have her number? I'll call her." Veronica got out her cell phone and gave it to him. She then looked at Duncan. "Jazmin isn't the only bone I have to pick with you, by the way! Logan told me that you and he went ahead and took care of Gory without me! You suck! How could you leave me out of that?"

Duncan wished he had never even walked into the food court. He hated dealing with upset women. He decided to do what normally works: "I'm sorry! Don't be mad. We just didn't want you involved in case things got ugly. Luckily, it didn't. I managed to convince Gory that my family had the resources and influences to make things really bad for him and his family if he didn't leave Hearst and leave us all alone."

"Well, it bothers me that you guys didn't bother to think of me when you were doing your plotting!" Veronica complained to him in annoyance.

"We _were_ thinking of you! That's why we didn't tell you. We didn't want you involved. Your dad said he was going to hunt him up for questioning. We figured your dad would ask you if he couldn't locate Gory. We didn't want to put you in a position to lie to your dad. Not to mention, we didn't want you vetoing anything we decided to do," Duncan admitted.

"So what _exactly_ did you guys do? Logan was vague. He was also right down dismissive. He acted like he could care less that I was bothered, nor did he give me any details," Veronica said, her face giving away her hurt.

Duncan saw it. "Logan always cares what you think. You know that, regardless of what he said. That's probably why he didn't give much detail. I know that's why _I'm_ not going to give any either. Sorry, Veronica, we agreed to not tell you. That's why Wallace wasn't involved. He knew that he couldn't keep anything from you. You just need to know that Gory isn't someone we need to worry about anymore."

Veronica was not satisfied with his answer, but she decided to not push for now. She figured Dick was the weak leak anyway. She decided to change the topic. "Did you get a date set for Lily's christening?"

"Yes, it's the Saturday after next at 2 p.m. You and Logan will need to be there a bit early so that the priest can make sure all the details are set."

Veronica looked warily at him and said, "Well, I'm not sure spending extra time with Logan's a good idea. Our conversation today didn't go that well. Things haven't been the same between us since he saw me with Piz. I'm not sure how to act around him anymore."

"You've got about a week to figure it out. Try talking to him again in a day or so. It'll be okay. You both care about each other and Lily. Things will work out. Remember that fortune cookie I gave you a few years ago for your birthday?" he asked her.

"Of course, it won me over. It said 'True love stories never have endings.'" She smiled at the memory.

Duncan said, "I still believe that, you know. Our story didn't end; it just changed. Your story with Logan isn't over. I know it." He looked at her and saw that she didn't know what to say. He figured it was better to leave her to think about that. He said, "Well, I'm going to go and try to call Jazmin. I hope she'll take my call." Duncan got up to leave. He hoped his words to Veronica were true and that she and Logan could work things out. He'd been gone too long to fully understand their relationship, but he knew that Logan loved Veronica regardless of what he said to her. Duncan also knew that seeing Veronica with Piz did something to Logan. It was like a light had died inside of him. Now that Piz was out of the picture, Duncan thought they'd naturally gravitate back to one another. There story wasn't over. "Maybe I'll have to give them a push," he thought.

However, he had to call Jazmin first. He dialed her number and got her voicemail. He left a message telling her how sorry he was and that he didn't realize those were her pictures. He asked her to call him back. Hanging up his phone, Duncan decided he couldn't wait to see if she'll call. He felt that his unintentional insult deserved a face to face apology. He needed to track down where she lived on campus. He headed off, focused on his goal.

About an hour later, he hung up from Dick satisfied. He knew that Dick would have some idea how he could locate Jazmin. Dick being in a fraternity gave him a pool of people to network with; he finally tracked down someone who knew where she lived. Duncan was now in possession of that information. Fortunately, Jazmin did live on campus. He went to her dorm room determined to get her to accept his apology.

When he knocked on her door, he was relieved that she answered. She looked very surprised to see him. "Uh..Can I help you?" she asked.

"I'm sorry for dropping by like this, but I didn't feel like a voicemail apology was enough," Duncan told her.

"I got your message. Thanks. I appreciate you calling. It's okay," she said, making a move to shut the door.

Duncan put up his hand to stop her. "Please, wait! It's not okay. I was a complete ass. I honestly didn't realize what you and Veronica were looking at. I just glanced down and saw a photo of a bare shouldered couple kissing. It didn't dawn on me at all that you two were looking through a portfolio. Nor do I really think the photo was smut. I was just teasing. I've known Veronica for a long time, and I had never caught her looking at risqué photos. I was honestly just trying to give her a hard time. In no way did I mean to hurt you or insult your work. Please accept my apology," he begged, sincerely.

Jazmin could see that he was sincere. She decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. "Okay, I will. It's okay. I appreciate you taking time to find me and explain."

Duncan then said, "Please let me make it up to you. Are you free for dinner tomorrow night? Only if you agree to come to dinner with me will I believe you've really forgiven me."

Jazmin thought for a moment. He seemed sincere. He was attractive, rich, and Veronica had told her he was a good guy. "I am free, and I will let you take me out to eat. It'd better be a nice place to make up for your insult!" she said, smiling.

Duncan was relieved that she seemed to have forgiven him. "I'll come by at seven if that works for you," he told her. She agreed. Duncan walked away really pleased with the turn of events. Not only did he now have a date with a beautiful woman tomorrow, but he just realized he could use it to take care of another situation. He pulled out his phone and dialed Logan's number.

"Logan, are you free tomorrow night?" he asked him after he said hello. Logan told him that he had no plans made. "Great! I have made a dinner date with a very attractive woman. Do you think you could watch Lily for a few hours? It won't be a late night." Logan said yes. Duncan hung up the phone feeling very pleased with himself.

The next afternoon Veronica was in her room trying not to feel bummed. It was a Friday, and she had no plans. Wallace was staying the night with his family. Mac had finally confessed that she had a date with Dick. Veronica wasn't sure how she felt about that. She knew that Dick had matured a lot the past year, but still, he was Dick. Mac was mostly so serious and brilliant. Veronica had trouble picturing them together. However, Mac and Dick had spent a lot of time together over the summer. Dick had been really upset that she'd been hurt. Mac said he asked her out at the hospital. She agreed to dinner but nothing too serious. Veronica would make sure she had a little talk with Dick when he picked Mac up.

Her phone rang. She saw on the ID that it was Duncan. "Hey, Duncan. What's up?"

"Veronica, I was hoping if you're free this evening you can come hang with Lily and me," he asked her.

"Sure. I'd love to. What time?" she asked.

"Around 6:30 if that works. We'll be at Logan's." Before she could respond to that bit of information, he had hung up. "That was odd," she thought. Well, at least she has something to do tonight. Hopefully, Logan would behave himself.

That evening at the beach house, Logan got up to answer the door. He smiled to see Duncan holding Lily. "Hey, gorgeous!" he said, taking Lily from Duncan. Then he looked up and said, "Oh, hi Duncan." Duncan smiled, somewhat used to being invisible when he has Lily with him. At least during initial greetings, most prefer to focus their attention on his daughter. He didn't mind. He loved seeing her so happy, and she was never happier than when someone new was giving her their undivided attention.

Duncan had just finished telling Logan about his blunder with Jazmin yesterday when the bell rung. He knew it was Veronica. He hadn't mentioned her coming to Logan. Instead, he planned on explaining his intentions to them both at the same time.

Logan was surprised to see her, but he welcomed her into his place. When she went to greet Lily, Duncan motioned to Logan to take a seat in the living room with him. He told Veronica to bring Lily and that he needed to talk to them.

"Okay, Veronica, I know I shanghaied you into coming over. I also misled you. I actually have a dinner date with Jazmin. She agreed to forgive me for insulting her if I'd take her to a nice dinner. Logan agreed to watch Lily for me. I asked you to come over because I want you to help babysit," Duncan informed them.

Veronica was a little confused. "Okay, I don't mind spending time with Lily."

Logan, though, wasn't as pleased with the change in plans. "Do you not think I can handle Lily by myself for a few hours?" he asked Duncan, feeling somewhat insulted.

"No, that's not it. I trust you to watch her. I asked you to be her godfather _because_ I trust you so much. However, I want you and Veronica to spend time with her together. You both are her godparents. The christening is in a week. The two of you have not been getting along as well as I would like. Now, I know a lot has happened. I know you both care about Lily. But I also know that you both care about each other. You need to find a way to be together when she's around without friction. Maybe talking about some things would help." He finished his speech and looked at the two of them. Veronica looked uncomfortable, and Logan seemed annoyed. Duncan wasn't perturbed. He continued, "Now don't be upset with me. You know I care about you both and value your friendship. I'm sorry for manipulating you like this. However, you know there's not anything I won't do for Lily. Lily needs her godparents to be friends and get along. Work it out!" With that final admonishment, he kissed his daughter and headed out the door, satisfied.

Logan and Veronica somehow reach a silent agreement to focus on Lily. They take her outside for a bit while there was still some daylight out. She loved playing in the sand. After awhile, Logan agreed to fix dinner if Veronica gave Lily a bath. When dinner was ready, they managed to eat and feed Lily without letting anything cloud their enjoyment. They both laughed at Lily as she demonstrated that she was full by throwing food at Logan. Logan laughed and said, "Naturally, she's gotta throw the food at me and not you!"

Veronica smiled and looked at Lily with affection. "She knows that us girls got to stick together!"

Veronica told Logan that since she gave Lily the bath and he cooked, she would clean up the kitchen if he cleans up Lily. They work in companionable silence.

"Should we put her in bed?" Logan asked Veronica.

"I think she's too hyped up to go to sleep. Why don't we put her down on the living room floor with some toys? Let her play until she starts to get sleepy." Logan thought her plan was a good one.

As they're sitting down with Lily between them, Veronica looked at Logan thoughtfully. Logan had came to class today, but he'd come in late for the first time. Then he left immediately after it was over, giving her no time to talk to him. It was obvious that he was avoiding her. Even though he'd been friendly enough tonight with Lily, Veronica didn't think things were fine. Duncan was right. She decided to ask him the question that has been on her mind. "Logan, are you still upset with me for almost sleeping with Piz?"

Her question caught Logan by surprise. He decided to be forthright with her. "No, I'm not upset with you about that. I was mostly upset with myself anyway."

"With yourself? Do you mind telling me why?" Veronica asked, wondering if he'll tell her more.

"Yes, with myself. I had this idea in my head that you weren't serious about Piz. That he was temporary. There was no way you could settle for someone so ordinary not after what we'd had together. I really thought deep down that you knew we belonged together. But when I saw you with him like that, I realized I had been fooling myself. Sex is a big deal for you. You really wanted to be with him or you wouldn't be willing to sleep with him. I guess I'm a little slow," he said, with a smile that doesn't reach his eyes.

Veronica looked at him in surprise. She told him, "Logan, you moved on with Parker first. I hadn't even looked at Piz until you threw that birthday party for Parker. You looked perfectly happy with someone that couldn't be more my opposite if she tried."

"Parker was my attempt to pull myself out of the dark hole of misery your dumping me left me in. It was a mistake. She broke up with me after my fight with Piz because she knew I still loved you," Logan told her.

"Well, Piz was my attempt to have a life free from drama. You can see how well that worked out," Veronica informed him.

They looked at each other not sure how to continue the conversation, strong emotions running between them. Tension was heavy in the air. Finally, Veronica took a deep breath and said, "Logan, I don't want things to be like this between us. I know I've hurt you. It was never my intention. I am sorry."

Logan wasn't sure how to respond to her. Whenever she gave him any kind of opening, his instinct was always to grab her and not let go. However, so much has happened between them. He was tired of being disappointed in his expectations with the two of them. His uncertainty was apparent on his face. He told her, "I'm not sure what to say, Veronica. You and I never mean to hurt one another, yet we seem to do so frequently. I want us to be friends, especially for Lily's sake. But I don't know how close we can be. I've never been good at keeping myself distant from you. I've never loved anything or anyone as much as I loved you, but it was never enough for you. _I_ wasn't enough for you. It's so easy for you to walk away from me."

His words worked to shatter Veronica's composure. She fought off the tears that threaten. She said softly, "It's never easy for me to walk away from you, Logan. Never. It was never about you not being enough for me. Most of the time, you were too much. You made me feel too much. Why do you think I fell apart over you being with Madison even though we'd been broken up? I couldn't sleep or even breathe without seeing you with her. My reaction wasn't normal or right. I knew that as I was yelling at you. But I couldn't stop myself. Feeling so much and reacting so insanely terrified me. I wanted to kill Madison and hurt you for making me feel so awful. I just wanted to stop feeling that way. I didn't want to turn into one of those crazy, possessive girlfriends. I've never been good at facing things that affect me emotionally. You know that. Dunk and run is my first instinct. Avoidance and denial is my second." She finished her explanation and waited for him to share his reaction.

"I called you a few days after we broke up and left a message begging you to forgive me and that it had meant less than nothing. I told you that I loved more than anything. You couldn't even be bothered to respond. That's when I begin thinking that you probably never loved me they way I loved you," he told her, still hurt at the memory.

Veronica looked at him in surprise. "I never got a message from you that said that. You left me one rambling message accusing me of being judgmental or something. I didn't even listen to it all."

"I may have started the message off in anger, but I ended it pleading with you," he told her. "Would it have mattered if you had listened to it?"

"I don't know, Logan. It might have. I needed some time, but you moved on pretty quickly it seemed to me," she reminded him. "And with one of my friends. Forcing me to have to see you happy with someone else. Not really a conducive way for me to let things go."

"See, Veronica, it doesn't matter what we say or do we seem to inadvertently hurt each other," Logan said, resigned. They don't say anything for a few minutes. Veronica saw that Lily has fallen asleep. She picked her up and took her to her bed.

When she came back in the living room, she went into the kitchen to grab something to drink. Logan watched her, wondering if he should ask the two questions that were burning inside of him. She came and sat down in the chair perpendicular to him. Finally, he decided it couldn't hurt. Knowing the truth would help him to move on one way or another. "Did you love Piz?"

Veronica looked at him and answered, "I cared about him. He was important to me, but no, Logan, I didn't love him. I realized that when he told me that if we were going to be together I had to cut you out of my life. The thought of you not being in my life was not even something I could seriously contemplate. If I had loved him, I would've."

Logan looked at her with that burning intensity of his. For once, Veronica's face wasn't shuttered. Her feelings were there for him to see. He could see her sincerity and her regret. He finally asked what he had to know, "Did you really love me?"

Veronica gazed at him and then reached over to take his hand. "Yes, Logan. I did love you. More than I ever loved anyone. I'm sorry I did such a poor job of making you feel that."

Logan looked at her searchingly, trying to detect if she really meant it. Not knowing what to do if she did. They stared at one another, unable to speak. Both too full of emotion. Finally, Veronica's eyes filled with tears, and they fall gently down her face. Logan raised his hand and wiped them away. Then he pulled her up from her chair and guided her to the open space next to him on the sofa. He tucked her by his side, placing his arm around her. Veronica buried her face into his chest, unable to stop her tears. She was crying for all the times she made Logan believe she didn't care about him. She was crying for all the times they hurt each other with their words and actions. She was crying for all the times she didn't talk to him and allowed things to go unsaid. And finally, she was crying for the regret she feels for not going after him that day in the cafeteria with Gory. Her stubborn pride and fear kept her clinging too long to Piz and now things weren't the same.

Duncan came in not long after that. Veronica had exhausted herself and was asleep. Duncan had hoped things would go well between the two of them; however, he still was surprised to see Veronica asleep in Logan's arms. Logan seemed drained, but he was awake. He talked quietly to Duncan but doesn't move away from Veronica. He told Duncan that they talked and things went fine with Lily. Duncan quietly went and got his daughter, saying goodbye.

Logan decided it was time to get up. The feeling of having her in his arms was so familiar, so comfortable. He never wanted to move. But he knew that he had to. He wasn't ready. He'd never felt so unsure before. He felt torn. A part of him wanted to hold onto her and never let go. Another part knew that being led purely by his heart never turned out well for him. Until he knew for sure what she wanted from him, he didn't trust himself to stay so physically close to her. How was he going to keep her at arm's length after this? How was he going to stop loving her now? He was just a man, and she was the only woman he ever truly wanted next to him always. If he let her in again, and she walked away; he didn't think that he'd survive. For the first time in his memory, he was afraid for himself.

While being careful not to disturb her slumber, he gently moved away from her. He pulled her legs up onto the couch. Then he grabbed a blanket and covered her. Of their own violation, his fingers gently caressed her face. He tucked the hair away from her mouth. Seeing her sleeping on his couch filled him with tenderness. Memories of watching her sleep in bed next to him come quickly to the surface. She was so full of energy and life that he never ceased being amazed by her in such a state of rest. The contrast always filled him with wonder and amusement. He forced himself to move away from her. He didn't want to wake her; he was not ready to leave. However, he still didn't know how to respond to her. Her tears meant that she really did regret the way things were between them. But he didn't know what that exactly meant. Nor did he know what he wanted. Hopefully, some rest and the new day would bring some clarity.

_This is the longest chapter so far. I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for all of you that are still reading. I also want to thank those that have taken time to review. Feedback is welcome!_


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 16: First Dates

_(This is still the same Friday that Logan and Veronica are watching Lily)_

Keith Mars pulled up into the Fennel's driveway feeling satisfied. At least one of his goals for the week was accomplished. Sometimes that's all a man can hope for. His mind flashed back to the scene a short time ago. He'd finally tracked down Roger, the man Alicia had been dating. He'd convinced her to file a restraining order on the man. He waited to confront Roger until the order was processed. Keith wanted to serve the order himself and add his own warning. When he'd knocked on Roger's door, the man had been surprised to see Keith. Keith gave him the papers and told him in no uncertain terms that if he so much as called Alicia again that Keith would make it his personal goal to see that the man suffer. As Sheriff, he and Roger both knew he could make good on that threat. Keith normally didn't use his position to threaten or blackmail people. However, this time he couldn't stop himself. Alicia meant something to him, regardless of the fact that they'd been broken up for a year. She was special, and she didn't deserve to be mistreated by anyone. He'd always regretted how things ended between them and felt that doing this one thing was the least he could do.

He knocked on their door and was surprised to see Wallace answer the door. "Hey, Wallace. I didn't expect to see you here on a Friday night. No hot date?"

Wallace smiled and shook his head, "Nope. I've almost forgotten what a hot date is like, it's been so long! I seem to always be studying these days. I figure after I get through this semester I may have time to focus on my social life. Next semester I am _not_ taking any hard classes. I've carved it out to be the last semester of my general ed requirements. The junior year is when my core engineer classes kick in. I want to bring up my GPA this semester so that I can have some breathing room before that starts. Next semester will be my one and only easy semester."

Keith was happy and proud to hear Wallace be so level headed. "That's great to hear, Wallace. I'm proud to see you taking college so seriously. A lot of kids get to college and go buck wild, studying the least of their concern."

Alicia had come up behind Wallace and heard that last comment. She said, "Well, I raised my boy to be smarter than most kids! He knows how to prioritize the important things."

Wallace was a bit embarrassed by their scrutiny but couldn't help but feel pleased that his hard work hasn't gone unnoticed. He invited Keith to sit down, telling him that he was spending the night with his family. They were about to watch a movie.

Keith said that he needed to talk to Alicia, but first he'd like to have a private word with Wallace. Alicia told Keith that was fine and that she was going to go make him a cup of coffee. Wallace knew it was never a good thing if the Sheriff wanted to have a private word. He looked at him warily and asked, "So what's up?"

"I don't know. You tell me. I've been trying to track down Sorokin all week with no luck. For a few days, he'd disappeared completely. No one knew where he was at. He hadn't been to class. Then suddenly he'd been spotted and dropped out of Hearst citing family reasons. Supposedly he went to Chicago to visit family. Can you tell me anything about his sudden departure?" Keith asked, giving Wallace that look he was famous for.

Wallace squirmed uncomfortably. He knew this moment was coming. His mind quickly thought of and discarded several responses. Knowing Veronica's dad like he did, he knew the truth would be the best. Keith would find out eventually without his help. "Well, I don't know exactly, sir. But I do know that Duncan and Logan did have something to do with it."

"That's what I was afraid of. Please tell me I'm not going to have to investigate either of them? What did they do?" Keith demanded sternly.

"I wasn't involved in the planning or the details. They didn't want Veronica knowing about it, so I decided it'd be better if I not know. For that same reason, I didn't demand later to know the details of what went down. All I know is what Dick told me," he offered.

"Dick? He was in on it, too? I guess I shouldn't be surprised. What did Dick tell you?"

"He told me that Duncan had scared the bejesus out of Gory. Dick was in awe and very excited. He was dying to tell me all about it. I had to cut him off and remind him that unless he wanted to face Veronica's wrath, he'd better not give me the specifics," Wallace told him.

"Duncan? Not Logan?" Keith asked, surprised.

"Yep, that's what he said. He said that Duncan took point and arranged the details. He had his dad's security guy Weidman help them. I know that. They didn't' seem concerned about getting in trouble with the law, so I doubt they did anything you need to worry about. Maybe Duncan bribed the guy to leave town. He's loaded after all," Wallace offered.

"Well, I can't see Dick being awed by bribery. He's used to that. I guess I'll drop looking for him unless I hear from the Sorokin family that something illegal happened, and they want to press charges. I just wish the boys had let me handle things. When are they going to learn? Things tend to get complicated quickly in this town," Keith reminded him.

"You're telling me! I thought living in Chicago was crazy, but Neptune ain't got nothin' on Chi-town!" Wallace exclaimed.

"I'm glad you had the sense to stay out of it. Your mom has enough to deal with right now. She doesn't need to worry about you in the middle of their intrigue. Keeping your nose in your books and out of trouble is the best thing you can do for her right now," Keith said.

They went into the living room and had a seat. Wallace made a point of sitting in the chair so that Keith would be forced to sit on the couch next to his mom. Keith told them that Alicia shouldn't have to worry anymore about Roger. The restraining order was served, along with Keith's own warning to not bother her.

"If he so much as calls you or drives by the house, you need to call me," he explained to Alicia.

She was still uncomfortable with Keith knowing how foolish she was by dating Roger. However, she looked him in the eyes and promised, "I will; don't worry. I feel so ashamed that I let things get out of hand. He was so sweet sometimes. At first, we had a lot of fun together. The first time he stepped out of line I dismissed it as me being too sensitive. He didn't hit me. He'd just gotten really angry and grabbed my arm. When I told him to leave, he immediately apologized and was all repentant. I should've known better. Wallace never liked him from the beginning. That's why he moved out over the summer."

"It's okay, mom. I just feel bad that I left you defenseless," Wallace admitted, still upset over the fact.

"It's not your job to defend me, Wallace. I'm the parent. I knew better. When things got ugly with your biological father, I bailed. I know the signs. I guess I was just lonely," Alicia shared.

Keith grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "Alicia, I don't want you beating yourself up over this. We all make unwise decisions when it comes to relationships. I've made one or two of my own since dating you," he admitted, thinking back to his involvement with a married woman. "The important thing is that we learn from our mistakes. You're safe and that's all that matters. Some women in these types of situations can't let go of the abusive partner. I'm glad that's not the case with you."

Alicia's eyes widened. She commented, "I can't imagine wanting to hang on to someone that hurts you. I know that I wanted out of the relationship shortly after Wallace left. I just couldn't seem to find the strength to do so. I hope Darrel will forgive me. He's still pretty mad about the whole thing."

"He's young. Preteens are often difficult because they are just now becoming aware of things they previously didn't understand. They also feel powerless to impart much change in their own lives. Darrel was scared for you and probably angry that he was unable to protect you. Wallace not being here may have caused him to feel abandoned. Spending time with him and assuring him that it will never happen again will reassure him. He'll come around," Keith assured them.

Wallace hoped so. He came over to spend time with him and his mom. However, Darrel was resisting his overtures. He'd yet to join them in the living room. He decided to try to cajole him out of his room. He got up to find him.

While he was gone, Alicia asked Keith how he likes being sheriff again. Keith told her that it was like riding a bike. Things fell back into place like he'd never left. Most people were relieved that he was back on the job. The fact that he'd managed to not piss of any 09er families in the past few months was a good sign.

"I was so proud when you won the election," Alicia said. "I took Darrel with me to vote so that he could see firsthand how the voting processed worked. Then he and I watched the results on the news. I wanted to call and congratulate you, but I didn't know if I should.

Keith looked at her in surprise. "Of course, you should've. I would have been happy to hear from you." He debated whether or not he should admit what was on his mind. He decided he's too old to play coward now. "I've often regretted that you and I let our relationship go without much of a fight. I'm not sure why really."

Alicia's heart rate sped up. Her and Keith's break up never felt right to her. After it happened, she'd felt so lonely. She'd thought that with him she'd finally found someone she and her boys could count on. It had been such a relief to discover what a stand up and amazing man he was. When he'd become so upset and disappointed in her for keeping secrets, she knew she'd messed up. However, she didn't know how to fix it. She admitted to him, "I know that I was unprepared to deal with your disappointment in me over Wallace's father. I never meant to hide things from you. I just had gotten so used to not thinking of that part of my life. I honestly thought our fight would blow over, but you never called me. You walked away so easily. It really hurt me."

Before Keith could respond, her sons came into the room. Wallace had convinced Darrel to join them. They were going to watch a movie. Wallace told Darreyl to go put a bag of popcorn in the microwave. Wallace asked Keith if he wanted to stay and watch a movie with them. Alicia quickly seconded the invitation, not wanting Keith to leave just yet. Keith admitted that he was off duty and decided to join them. Wallace was very pleased with the turn of events and went into the kitchen to get their drinks. He thought things were definitely looking up!

Over on campus, Duncan was getting ready to knock on Jazmin's door. He was a bit nervous. It had been a long time since he had been out on a date. He had not went out on one since Veronica. Being on the run was not a good time to start relationships. He'd focused completely on his daughter and avoiding detection. Dating had been the furthest thing from his mind. Even if Jazmin and he ended up just being friends, he wanted the night to go well. He knocked on the door. When it opened, he stared at her in stunned amazement. She was breathtaking. She had on this dark blue dress that matched the blue of her eyes. Her long, dark hair was pinned up, leaving her neck exposed. She was so graceful and beautiful. Both Duncan's previous girlfriends, Meg and Veronica, were beautiful women. However, neither of them were the same as Jazmin. There was beautiful and then there was _beautiful_. Jazmin's dress emphasized her voluptuous curves. The neckline wasn't too low; it gave a hint of her cleavage. The hint was what made the outfit so seductive. She was such a stunner that Duncan knew she would turn heads whenever they went into a room together.

Jazmin slowly smiled at Duncan's reaction to her. He hasn't managed yet to hide his stunned amazement at seeing her. She decided to flirt, "You like?"

Duncan shook the fog that momentarily fell on his brain. He grinned and said, "I don't think 'like' is a strong enough word. You look amazing! Wow!"

She was pleased at his response and laughed. "Okay, now I've officially forgiven you for insulting my work. Even if the restaurant blows, you've managed to convince me that you're not a total bonehead!"

Duncan was happy to hear that. He offered her his arm, wanting to establish a physical connection with her. She took it, and they proceed to the restaurant. Duncan was excited that the night had started off so well.

Not too far away at Bennett Hall, Dick was pacing outside Mac's door. He was a nervous wreck. He couldn't yet bring himself to knock. Never in his life could he remember a time when he was so freaked out about going on a date with a girl. Dating had always came so easily with him. For him, it was just fun. There had never been any reason to be anxious. Normally, he'd be excited about the prospect of getting laid or getting to third base. However, tonight that wasn't even on his mind. He liked Mac so much. No girl had ever affected him like this. Nor had one person's opinion mattered so much. He'd planned a nice, low key evening. At first, he'd wanted to sweep in and wow her with his wealth. He wanted to show her that he was a man of means, someone Mac needed to take seriously. But then he'd come to his senses. He knew that would not be the way to win Mac. He had to convince her first that dating him was a good thing. That he was someone she could see herself with. He didn't want a fling with her. He wanted her to think of him as a serious dating prospect. For the first time, he hoped a girl _would_ think of him as boyfriend material. Most people didn't take him too seriously nor think of him as boyfriend material, and Dick was okay with that. It was expected because most of the time he didn't take himself too seriously. Life was short, and he wanted to enjoy it while he was young. Now, however, he wanted to enjoy it with Mac. She made him feel like he could be so much more than he was. She made him long for things he never knew he secretly wanted. Tonight had to go well. He wasn't sure he could handle the disappointment if it didn't.

He finally took a breath and knocked. Mac heard the knock and smiled in anticipation. She was nervous about her date with Dick, but she was mostly looking forward to it. Dick was always fun even when he was annoying. Regardless of how the night turned out, she knew that Dick would keep her entertained. She wasn't sure about dating him, but she was sure that she could trust herself with him. She opened the door with a smile of welcome. Her smile widened when she could see that Dick was not his normal, cocky self. His nervousness was apparent. "That's so sweet," she thought. His apparent lack of confidence instantly made Mac more confident and sure that saying yes to this date was the right thing.

"Hey, Dick. I'm ready if you are," she said easily to him.

His eyes roamed over her, examining her appearance. She had on a pair of black slacks with a sexy top. It emphasized her obviously female features. Dick grinned and told her, "You look hot, Mackie!" He grabbed her hand and kissed her cheek in greeting. Now that he understood exactly how he felt about her, he rarely could refrain from touching her in some way. Mac was naturally restrained and private, but she'd gotten used to Dick's friendly touch early on in the summer. He could rarely talk to anyone he was close to without putting his arm around them, whether it was her or Logan. Holding hands, they go down the hall, both feeling happy and excited about the night ahead.

When Duncan pulled into the four star French restaurant, Jazmin looked over at him and smiled her appreciation. She began to get out, but he told her to wait. He chivalrously went around to the passenger side of the car door and opened it for her. He extended his hand to help her out of his car. She couldn't help but be impressed by his manners. Most college guys she knew never showed such class. When they got inside the restaurant, the Maître de greeted Duncan by name and immediately sat them at a very nice location. They were off to the side and away from the kitchen activity, which gave them some measure of privacy. However, they still have a good view of the dining area so that they can people watch if they choose to.

Jazmin found Duncan to be a charming and easy man to be with. He flirted lightly with her, but didn't make her feel uncomfortable or objectified like some men often did. He seemed impressed that she could read the French menu. She explained that she had spent summers in Europe because she had family in Italy. Duncan quickly realized that she must come from some degree of wealth herself. He tried to find out more about her background, but she smiled coyly and said, "A girl doesn't reveal everything on a first date."

Duncan smiled and asked, "Does that mean there may be a second date?"

She smile flirtatiously at him and responded, "That depends."

"On what?" he asked.

"On whether or not you let me order dessert!" she teased.

He chuckled, enjoying being with a girl that was not afraid to eat. Veronica was the only girl he'd ever dated that never turned away dessert. Meg was a cheerleader and never allowed herself to be treated with dessert. They begin getting to know one another better as people do on a first date. She admitted that her major was photography, and she was a freshman. She was from Evanston, IL. That was where she'd gone to high school. When she told him that, he'd asked her why she didn't attend Northwestern. Her eyes became shadowed, and she replied that she needed to get away from the Chicago area. Family pressure was becoming a bit much. Duncan could tell she wasn't happy reliving whatever prompted her decision, so he didn't pressure her for details.

"Well, I'm glad you came to Hearst," he said casually.

"Me, too. I like the smaller campus. Northwestern is too big. Not to mention my goal in life was to get far away from those Chicago winters. Living close to Lake Michigan caused way too much lake affect snow fall. If I ever see another snowflake, it'll be too soon!" she proclaimed.

"Really? I love going skiing. I missed that when I was in Europe. My family has a house in Aspen, and we often go there over winter break," Duncan replied.

"Yeah, I've been skiing. It can be fun. But it's going to be awhile before I miss the snow," she insisted.

"I can't wait to take Lily skiing when she gets older," Duncan said.

"Lily?" Jazmin asked, perplexed.

"She's my daughter. She's two," Duncan explained.

Jazmin seemed a bit taken back to hear that he had a daughter. Duncan assumed that with all the media coverage that everyone knew he had a daughter. He didn't know whether or not to be relieved that she didn't know all his gossip or upset that he'd have to try to explain everything most already knew. He told her that he thought she knew that because most people did due to the news coverage of his custody battle with his in-laws. Duncan figured that was enough of an explanation. No need to explain being wanted for kidnapping on a first date.

"So you were married? Because I'm assuming you're not now or you wouldn't have asked me out," she inquired trying not to be upset. However, her agitation was apparent for Duncan to see.

"No. Of course not. I'm not married. Lily's mother was my high school girlfriend. There was a tragic bus accident at the beginning of our senior year. Her mother, Meg, was on a bus that crashed. Everyone died but her. She was in a coma for awhile. That's when we discovered she was pregnant with Lily. She was able to carry Lily to term and woke for awhile. However, a blood clot killed her before she could be released out of the hospital with our daughter," Duncan explained.

"How awful! I'm so sorry," Jazmin replied with sympathy. However, she still wasn't sure how she felt about the fact that he had a daughter.

Duncan didn't think it's a good idea to explain how he was with Veronica at the time. Instead he changed topics, inquiring about how she got interested in photography. Jazmin was quickly distracted with the topic switch, and they were able to resume a fun, light dinner. Duncan had so much serious drama going on the past few years. It was so nice to be with someone who didn't know every detail of his life. Chicago had so much of its own drama and political unrest that the goings on in Neptune was rarely reported. At least Jazmin seemed mostly unaware of most of the events that had tainted Duncan and his friends the past few years. He relaxed and really began to enjoy himself.

Across town, Mac and Dick were also enjoying their first date. Dick had chosen a Mediterranean restaurant. It was one of Mac's favorite places. They had a nice dinner. Dick was charming and funny throughout. They entertained themselves making up outlandish tales about the other people in the restaurant. Mac almost choked on her drink when Dick insisted that the old man close to them was with his mistress not his daughter like Mac assumed.

"What? No way! That woman can't possibly be sleeping with that old guy! You are totally wrong!" Mac insisted, shuddering at the mental picture.

"Nope, I'm telling you that is _not_ his daughter," Dick said, confidently.

"What makes you so sure?" Mac asked.

"Daughters sit across from their dads. She is sitting on his right side and leaning toward him as she talks. Daughters don't make a habit of flashing their boobs at their dads. At least I hope not. I don't have a sister after all!" he joked. "You don't flash your boobs at your dad do you?" he asked her grinning.

"Yuck! Of course not, you freak! That's disgusting!" Mac responded.

"Well, I rest my case. Mistress! I win!" Dick said with glee. He was rarely right when arguing with Mac, so he relished winning an argument with her.

"Okay, okay! I give up. I hate to say it, but you're probably right," she conceded. She smiled at him, really enjoying her dinner with him. She'd never been on a date with a guy and laughed so much. Dick was a lot of fun, but she didn't know if he was much more than just a fun guy. "Was he boyfriend material?" she wondered. One thing that she noticed was that he never appeared to be checking out any of the other women in the restaurant. Even as they looked at various couples, his looks never became lecherous or predatory toward any of the very attractive woman under scrutiny. It did appear as if he only had eyes for her. The knowledge of that fact loosened something inside of her. Mac had never been very comfortable with boys or dating. The three other guys she'd dated seriously were mostly as inexperienced as she was. She never had to worry much about disappointing them or feeling like she was out of their league. Even though Mac knew she was a Sinclair and not a McKenzie by blood, she couldn't help but feel a bit of the difference of their social class. Knowing that Dick only had eyes for her made her feel a lot better about being on a date with him.

After dinner, Dick took her to a comedy club. She'd never been to one before and wasn't sure what to expect. With Dick, a person could never be sure. His sense of humor was often completely juvenile. However, Mac was pleasantly surprised. They had some really funny performers. Dick and Mac laughed the night away. That was perfect for Mac because she couldn't see herself dancing the night away like some girls. She was often too serious and morose, so her date with Dick was even more fun than she'd anticipated.

Dick was glad the night was going so well. He loved to laugh and have a good time. He was relieved that Mac was enjoying herself and didn't find the comedy club to be lame. It had been a gamble. But other date venues just didn't seem to suit both him and Mac. At least not for their first date. He wanted her to think of their first date with a smile. Besides, he wasn't going to let the date end just yet. Before it got too late, he told Mac that he was ready to leave.

He drove to a familiar beach. It was the place they went to often last year. It was where Wallace always came to fly his planes. Dick told Mac that he thought a stroll along the beach would be nice. The weather was still warm. There wasn't going to be very many nights as warm as this. He took her hand, and they walked along the shore. It was a beautiful night. The waves crashed onto the shore. The moon was full and bright above them, allowing the stars to shine through. He stopped at a particular spot and faced her.

"Do you remember this spot?" he asked.

"Well, this beach is one we go to frequently," she answered, unsure of what he was wanting her to say exactly.

"This is where I apologized to you for being such a jackass when you were with my brother. Then I foolishly tried to kiss you," he reminded her.

"Oh, yes. You're right. We probably were standing about here. Piz and Veronica and Logan were over there," she said indicating the spot.

"You probably thought I was just drunk that night, right?" he asked.

"Well, for you to try to kiss me then, yes, you had to be drunk," she responded. There was no other explanation. Back then they rarely spoke. "We weren't friends then."

"No, but I wanted us to be. That's why I tried to kiss you," he said.

"You don't kiss girls you're trying to be friends with, Dick!" she admonished him.

"Well, I never had a girl I was friends with. How was I supposed to know? I just knew that I was sad about Beaver, and you were sad about Beaver. You were the only one besides me that really cared at all that he was gone. You were one of the few that didn't think his death was a good thing. I wanted to connect with someone that actually gave a damn. My parents didn't really," Dick explained.

"I'm sorry, Dick," Mac said as she took his other hand. He was looking down at her, and she could see the emotion in his eyes. She wasn't used to seeing it and didn't know how to act. He cut off any awkwardness by saying, "It's okay. I tried to laugh it off, but it was the first time I let myself look at you as anything other than my brother's first girlfriend. It was the first time I saw you. I've not been the same since then."

He looked at her with complete sincerity. Mac was unused to Dick being so thoughtful or heartfelt. Her instinct was to step back. However, she knew that it wasn't easy for Dick to be so open with her. They hadn't spoken much about his brother and neither had brought up that night he first apologized for the way he treated her and Cassidy. "It was the first time I saw you, too, Dick. Until you tried to kiss me that is. Then I didn't know if you really meant what you'd said or not. If your apology was real or not," Mac said.

"I meant it. Before this date is over or before we go on another, I want to put my brother's ghost to rest. I want to say to you once again how sorry I am that I was such a bad, big brother to Cassidy. I am sorry for the way I treated you when you were with him. I never really understood until it all came out how much another person's words or actions can hurt another. My actions alone may not have damaged him to such a degree if that bastard Goodman hadn't also abused him the way he did. However, me not being the brother he needed served to make it worse. My dad and I used to make a game out of tormenting him. I'm ashamed to think of it. I get physically ill sometimes remembering. But there were good times, too. I know that there was. And I got to believe that if Cassidy hated me, he would have found a way to make sure I stayed on that bus that day. Or he would have done something else," Dick said, the anguish reflected in eyes.

"He loved you, Dick. I am sure of it. You mad him angry and upset him sometimes. However, you gave him what your father never did. You gave him your time and your attention. You picked on him, yes. Older siblings usually do that. But you never excluded him. He wanted so much to make you proud and for his dad to notice him. He was never afraid of you. Remember when he and I set you up with that transvestite?" She looked at Dick who smiled and then grimaced at the memory. "He was never scared of your anger. He knew you'd never hurt him."

"Thanks, for that. It means a lot to me to think that may be true. You can't know how much. I promise you, Mackie, that I _can _be a better man than I was then. I can be a better man than I am now. If you will give me a chance to show you, I will. I want you to be in my life. Although I am happy to be your friend, I want you to be more than my friend. I need you to be. I've never felt this way about a woman before. Take a chance on me, please, Mac. I promise I won't let you down the way I let my brother down. I can't go back and be a better brother to him. But if you allow me to, I can be someone you can count on. I can be someone you can trust," he finished, gazing sincerely into her eyes, both of her hands held tightly in his.

Mac was overwhelmed by Dick. She never saw this coming. She never thought there would be a day that Dick Casablancas would overwhelm her with both his honesty and his emotional appeal. She closed her eyes tightly, trying not to cry. Thinking about Cassidy always brought sharp pain. Wondering if she could've prevented what he did almost destroyed her. Hating Dick for not accomplishing what she couldn't had been her way of coping at first. Once they became friends, she just pushed Cassidy and all that transpired completely out of her mind. Now Dick was bringing it all up. She knew Dick could be shallow, insensitive, and completely clueless. However, she also knew he was a loyal and honest friend. He made her feel protected and attractive. The way he looked at her made her feel so special. His appeal touched every part of her.

She didn't know if they had what it took to be a forever couple. But she knew at that moment that she couldn't deny Dick anything. So she answered him in the best way she could. She pulled her hands from his and placed them around his neck. She didn't say anything. Enough had been said. Instead, she spoke to Dick in the language she knew he liked best. She reached up on her toes and pulled his head down toward hers and kissed him. She poured everything she had into that kiss- her regret, her anger, her pain, her forgiveness, and her complete acceptance of Dick.

His arms went around her, holding her tightly. He took control of the kiss, answering her unspoken plea. His mouth slanted over hers again and again. The relief he felt at her response came out in his kiss. He never wanted to stop. Eventually, the demand for air forced them pull apart. They stared at one another, both full of so much feeling. Dick bent down and placed kisses on her neck. Mac tilted her head back to give him better access. He made his way back up to her mouth and began to kiss her again, his tongue mating with hers. Finally, he gentled the kiss and lifted his hand to caress her face. He pulled back and looked at her once again. He smiled. She smiled back. His smile turned into a grin, and he tightened his arms around her, lifting her up and spinning her around. She laughed at his joy, and her heart was filled with her own.

_I hope this scene with Dick and Mac touched you as much as it did me when I was writing it. I hope that I did a good job revealing the emotional tie between them. Once again, they took over the chapter so I didn't get to LoVe. Sorry! _


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 17: Conversations Over Breakfast

Logan woke up fairly early the next morning. He had some trouble going to sleep because his mind kept thinking about his conversation with Veronica that night. However, when he did fall asleep, he slept deeply. When he awoke, he felt rested and full of energy. Walking into the living room, he smiled when he saw Veronica still asleep on his couch. The sight was reassuring. She had not awoken in the night and fled to her own place like he half way expected her to do. Logan decided he would make some breakfast before waking her up.

The smell of frying bacon and coffee woke Veronica. Those were two of her favorite smells. She opened her eyes a bit disoriented. However, she quickly remembered crying in Logan's arms on his couch. She knew she must have fallen asleep. Logan had allowed her to rest; she was not surprised. Taking care of people he cared about came very naturally to him, although she doubted he knew that about himself. Veronica knew that he was still unsure about her and where their relationship was heading. She hoped at least he would not shut her out while they figured things out. Their tendency to not communicate and suffer in silence was a major part of the issues between them. Veronica didn't divulge in tears very often. And rarely in front of anyone. Unfortunately, she couldn't seem to help herself lately; first with Mac the other day, and now with Logan. She hated being weak, but it was nice that both Mac and Logan allowed her to cry without giving her the third degree or trying to comfort her with empty platitudes. Both just let her cry and were there. Knowing someone was there and that they cared made all the difference.

She got up and ran to the bathroom before coming face to face with Logan. Even though he'd seen her before when she'd just awoken, she did not want him to this particular morning. Especially since she fell asleep crying and knew her eyes probably looked swollen and scary.

After refreshing herself as best she could with no supplies, she went into the kitchen to find Logan scrambling eggs.

She smiled shyly and said, "Good morning."

He smiled warmly back at her. "Good morning, Veronica. I'm glad you didn't sneak out on me."

Veronica smiled and told him, "You know better. When have I ever run from the smell of food that I didn't have to cook myself? I'm starving! It's been a long time since I've had a full size breakfast."

"Yea, I know what you mean. Either we're running late and have no time to do more than grab a bagel or sleep past breakfast and don't bother. After our exhausting talk last night, I figured we both could use an extra boost. I woke up with more energy than normal and decided to cook. Dick should be up soon. Wallace stayed at his mom's," Logan replied.

"About last night…I'm sorry for crying all over you like that. Thanks for being so great about it," she said, looking him in the eye even though she felt a bit awkward.

Holding her gaze, he responded, "It's more than okay, Veronica. I meant what I said before. I'm here if you need me. I'm glad we got to talk like that. We probably should've done so a long time ago."

"You're right. We should've. It's not easy for me, though. Sometimes when we open up, things come out that hurt us even more. It makes me not want to be quick to repeat the experience. However, I want things to be okay between us. I want us to be real friends again," she insisted.

Logan knew she meant it, but he still needed to know exactly what she wanted and expected from him. "Friends? _Just_ friends?" He wanted to say more but stopped at that, waiting to see how she will answer.

Veronica opened her mouth to respond when Dick entered the kitchen. His good mood was obvious to them both. "Good morning!" he said, cheerfully. "Ronnie? You're here early!" He went over to her and gave her an exuberant hug.

Veronica refrained from whacking him like she wanted. But she couldn't stop herself from saying, "Dick! Let me go!" She shoved his arms off of him. "What's wrong with you? We are not hugging friends! Are you still drunk? What's with you?"

Dick grinned at her unrepentantly as he moved away and snatched a piece of bacon off the plate. "I'm not drunk! Why would you think that? It's not even ten o'clock."

Logan laughed and said, "Like you've never been drunk at ten in the morning!"

Dick smiled in acknowledgment. "Maybe, but not in awhile. I'm a changed man." When they both look at him incredulously, he insisted defensively, "I mean it! The Dickster is done dicking around!"

Logan and Veronica exchanged glances, neither sure whether to laugh or not. They didn't think he was serious, but they also didn't want to insult him if he was. Logan decided to venture out and inquired, "Okay. Glad to hear it, Dick. But do you mind telling us what exactly you mean by that?"

"Yea, what's got you so happy?" Veronica asked, suspicious. Then suddenly it dawned on her. "Hey, you went out with Mac last night! Dick, you better not have seduced her after one date! I'm going to kill you!" She got off of the bar stool and charged toward him.

"Hey, wait a minute! Chill, Ronnie! Retract the claws! Why do you always got to assume the worst about me?" Dick asked, offended.

"Because you always _do _the worst!" Veronica yelled.

"Well, not anymore and never with Mac. I'm in a good mood because our date rocked. And before you attack me, no, I did _not_ try to get in her pants!" Dick exclaimed, defensively.

Logan smiled fondly and said, "Veronica, I think you can relax. Dick knows better than to take advantage of Mac."

"Dude, like I would anyway! I care about her. She's my friend. And after last night, I am pleased to say, she's also _more_ than my friend, if you catch me drift!" Dick shared, grinning proudly.

"What's that supposed to mean? I thought you just said you didn't try to seduce her? If you hurt her Dick, I swear to God, it will be the last thing you ever do!" Veronica warned him.

Logan could see Veronica was getting really worked up, and Dick grinning like a fool wasn't helping matters. "Veronica, sit back down. Quit jumping down his throat. That particular habit of yours needs to be broken, I think." She looked sharply at Logan, but when he looked at her knowingly, she looked down shamefacedly and sat back on the stool. "Now Dick why don't you explain to both of us, without invading Mac's privacy, what you meant? Remember, just because you don't have a private bone in your body does _not_ mean Mac is the same way. Only share with us what you are _sure_ she wouldn't mind us knowing."

Dick never really thought of that before, but he quickly realized that Logan's right. Mac w_as_ a very private person. Dick had to work hard to figure out what we going on in that brilliant, strange brain of hers. Most of the time, he was clueless. He, on the other hand, wanted to tell everyone exactly why he was so happy. Maybe some discretion would be better. He hadn't nailed down a second date with Mac yet, and he didn't want to make her mad before he did. He thought for a moment and shared, "Our date last night went very well. We went to dinner, and then I took her to a comedy club."

"You took Mac to a comedy club?" Veronica asked, having trouble picturing it.

"Yep, and she _loved_ it. Then we went for a walk on the beach and talked about some things. I convinced her that I was _not_ the guy you obviously think I am, Ronnie. And F.Y.I., I _didn't_ take advantage of her or try to sleep with her after one date." He finished up and looked at Veronica calmly. He knew that he'd have to deal with her about Mac eventually. He hadn't expected it to be the first thing he did this morning, however. But he was so sure about dating Mac that not even Veronica Mars would be able to detour him from his path.

Veronica was surprised at his response and his calm demeanor. She expected a sexual joke or innuendo at the very least. However, his simple response and sincerity was not what she expected. She looked questioningly at Logan. He grinned proudly in response and said "Ah, it looks like our boy is finally growing up!"

Dick grinned back at him and grabbed a cup to pour himself some coffee. He also poured a second cup and placed it in front of Veronica. His unsolicited gesture didn't go unnoticed by Veronica. Maybe Logan's right. Maybe Dick was finally growing up. Veronica never thought he would actually see what a treasure Mac was, but maybe she was wrong. However, she couldn't resist warning, "For both your sakes, I hope you continue to treat her well. I'm not trying to start a fight, but she's been through a lot. She's never dated a guy as experienced as you, Dick. Tread carefully."

Dick sat down in the stool next to Veronica and bravely put his arm around her again. "Don't worry, Ronicons. Nothing bad is going to happen. I'm crazy about Mac! The fact that she even said yes to going out with me is more than I thought would happen. There's no way I'm going to rush her or mess this up! I swear! Logan was a lot more experienced than you, and he never pushed you did he?"

Veronica couldn't help looking at Logan before she answered. He smirked knowingly at her; both recalling the same memory of their first time together. Veronica could feel her face heat up and quickly turned away from Logan. "Okay, Dick, you're right. Logan was great with me, but that's because he was afraid of both my daddy and my tazer!" She grinned and winked at Logan. They both knew the first part was somewhat true but not the second.

"So do you two have any plans today?" Logan asked them.

Both tell him they didn't have anything specific planned. Veronica said she was hoping to see her dad, but they didn't have plans. Dick was going to see if Mac wanted to hang out. Logan suggested they have a cook-out here later in the day. He'd call Duncan and have him bring Lily. Then he'd let Wallace know. Wallace could bring his family if he wanted. Logan told Veronica that she should just invite her dad to the cook-out.

"The more the merrier," he said.

"That sounds like a great idea. In a few weeks, we'll be so busy with classes that we won't get to hang out with all of us at once. I'll bring Mac. Do you think it'll be okay if I invite Jazmin? Did Duncan say how the date went with them last night? If it didn't go well, I don't want to invite her and have them feel awkward," she asked.

"Duncan seemed pretty happy when he came and picked up Lily. We didn't talk much though. How 'bout I call him first and run it by him? I'll call and let you know," Logan offered.

They ate breakfast in companionable silence. Dick was preoccupied at the thought of spending most of the day with Mac. Logan and Veronica both have things on their minds they know they couldn't really discuss in front of Dick. They ended up not saying much. After Veronica ate, she said goodbye and promised to be back in the afternoon with Mac.

As soon as she left Dick said, "Okay, spill. What was Ronnie doing here this early? Did she stay the night? Are you and her doing the wild thing again?" he grinned mischievously.

Logan responded, "Yes, she stayed the night, and no, we are NOT doing the wild thing again. She slept on the couch. Didn't you notice her when you came in last night?"

"Dude, I didn't notice anything. After my date with Mac, it was like I was drunk or something. Or in a fog. I'm not sure I would have noticed her if she was buck naked passed out on the porch," he admitted.

Logan found himself once again looking at his friend closely. "You're serious, aren't you?" When Dick just grinned, Logan shook his head in disbelief and said, "Careful, Dick. You're starting to sound like a man in love."

"Love? You think?" Dick asked, a touch of awe in his voice.

Logan laughed and said, "Yes, I do think. Only when you're completely in love can a woman tie you up in so many knots that you can't see straight or form coherent thought. Why do you think I've acted so crazy so often over Veronica?"

Dick answered honestly, "Well, I just thought Ronnie _was_ crazy and difficult. And a ball buster. I figured she'd make you nuts before too long, so when you acted crazy I was never surprised or gave it much thought. So what's going on with you two now?"

"I'm not really sure. Duncan basically tricked us both last night into hanging out together and watching Lily. He told us that the tension and strain between V and me wasn't good for Lily. He insisted we spend the evening with her and talk out some things," Logan explained.

"So did you? You seemed pretty comfortable together when I came into the kitchen," Dick said.

"Yea, your timing sucks, by the way! I was just about to get her to finally tell me exactly what she wanted from me before you rudely interrupted!" Logan chided but without real heat.

"Sorry, dude. That's what you get for frying bacon. Nothing and no one is immune to that smell. Except for Mac. She won't eat it. She's a bit strange," he admitted. Logan could tell he wasn't actually bothered by that fact.

"Speaking of Mac, I know you have real feelings for her, Dick; however, I still got to stay that I want you to watch yourself. I don't mean to echo Veronica, man, but no one knows better than me your track record with women. You've never cared strongly about any woman. Madison was your only long term girlfriend, and I know you never really loved her." He looked knowingly at Dick. Then he continued, "I know we've not really talked about this before, but I was there and saw firsthand how wrecked she was when your brother left her naked in that hotel room. It was one of the many images from that night I will never be able to erase. She's more fragile than she appears." He wasn't sure how Dick would respond with him bringing up Beaver, but Logan felt he had to. Dick was his best friend, but Mac was important to him. He wanted Dick to understand how serious it was for him to date Mac. "You can't date her casually."

Dick was upset to learn what Logan revealed. No one had ever given him that particular detail. He felt kind of sick, but he forced himself to ask, "Did…did he hurt her, Logan?" He couldn't bring himself to ask if he'd raped her, too. However, he knew Logan would know what he left unspoken.

"No. He took her clothes while she was in the shower and just left her there. He had seen a text Veronica sent for Mac warning her to get away from him. He used Mac's phone to lure Veronica to the roof of the hotel. Veronica told me later that Mac and Beaver had meant for that night to be their first time, but Cassidy was unable to go through with it. Mac, of course, thought it was because of her since he snuck out and stole her clothes leaving her naked and trapped in the hotel room, unable to leave without clothes. She was devastated," Logan said.

The mental image Logan's tale gave Dick left him really upset. He felt both angry that his brother would do such a thing to Mac and guilty that he never gave his brother a better example. Guilty that, in some ways, he helped create the monster Cassidy became. "That's really screwed up, man. I don't even know how to begin to deal with that. Thanks for killing my good mood." Dick didn't give Logan a chance to respond but turned and left the room.

Logan felt a bit guilty for upsetting his friend. However, it was too important that he understand that he must treat Mac with the upmost care and respect. If Dick was serious about her, what Logan told him wouldn't stop him from dating her. It hadn't stopped Logan from dating Veronica, but it had served to make him cautious and not push her to be intimate until she was ready.

Veronica entered her dorm room and saw Mac putting on her shoes to go out. When Veronica asked if she was about to leave, Mac told her that she was going to the cafeteria and to get some breakfast. Even though Veronica had already eaten, she offered to go along with her so that they could chat.

Once they were at a table, Veronica didn't waste any time. "So, Mac how was your date with Dick last night?"

"My date? How was yours? You didn't even come home last night! Was that because of Duncan or Logan?" she teased with a mischievous smile.

"Actually, both. Duncan tricked Logan and I into babysitting Lily, so we could spend time together and work out some issues," she admitted to Mac.

"Issues, huh? That must have been some conversation if it lasted all night!" she couldn't resist saying.

"Hey, it wasn't like that! I fell asleep on the couch. Quit putting me off. Spill! I asked you about your night first, so you gotta give me the details. Dick was in an insanely good mood when I left their place, and since you seem pretty chipper yourself, I must know!" she pleaded with Mac, determined to find out if the thing with Dick went both ways.

Mac smiled at her friend, happy to hear that Dick felt as good about their date as she did. Even though their first date was in some ways more personal than most first dates normally were, she wanted to share it with Veronica. Veronica wasn't Dick's biggest fan and would give her the unbiased opinion she needed. When it came to the Casablancas men, she didn't trust her own instincts. Although Mac was intensely private, Veronica already knew all her deepest and darkest secrets. All of her life she had longed for a girlfriend to share things with and never imagined she'd find a friend that'd risk anything for her. Of course, it was mutual. Mac had committed felonies for Veronica and would do so in a heartbeat if asked. Veronica's personality was very different from hers, but she made Mac feel special. She admired Veronica so much that Veronica's confidence in her made her have more confidence in herself.

Mac smiled and told her, "Well, he took me to my favorite Mediterranean restaurant and then to a comedy club."

"Yea, he told me that. I was surprised about the comedy club. I wouldn't have picked that as a place to take you, but he told Logan and me that you enjoyed it."

"Yes, it was pretty amazing actually. I felt some trepidation when we first got there. You know Dick; his own humor can be pretty base. I didn't know what to expect. However, I was pleasantly surprised. There wasn't any toilet humor but a lot of political jokes and every day jokes about the comedian's life. I don't think I ever laughed so much in one night. Dick had me laughing throughout the dinner, so the comedy club just added to the night," Mac said, smiling at the memory.

Veronica was both pleased and surprised at Mac's admittance. But she still asked, "You really enjoy being with Dick, don't you?"

Mac answered honestly, "Yes, I do. We spent a lot of time together over the summer. Not a lot with just the two of us, but enough for me to come to appreciate his good qualities. I'm not sure if you fully realize what a good friend he is to Logan. I don't think I've ever seen a guy so in tuned to another guy that wasn't part of a couple. I know that sounds strange. What I mean is that Dick notices everything when it comes to Logan. He looks up to Logan, but he also watches out for him. Whenever Logan gets moody, Dick is quick to keep him from staying inside his own head too much. He makes a point of being a complete moron just to give Logan something else to think about. At first I thought it was just Dick being Dick, but I soon noticed how Dick's behavior would change at specific times. Normally, it would be in response to Logan's mood."

"Really?" Veronica asked. "I can't say I've ever given much thought to Dick's behavior. Nor would credit him for being so calculating in his behavior."

"Well, I wouldn't call it calculating. It's more like Dick knows Logan so well that he knows how to get a certain response from him. Like you are with your dad and sometimes Wallace," Mac explained

"Okay, that makes sense. That's something to think about. I know Logan valued Dick's friendship even more after Duncan left the country without telling him. Letting Dick live with him at the Neptune Grand spoke volumes to me." Veronica admitted. Then continued, "So you went to dinner and then to the club. Dick mentioned to us that you went for a walk on the beach. He didn't go into detail because Logan warned him that you were a private person, and Dick didn't need to share everything with us. Logan values his own privacy so much that he is always aware of how easily someone else's can be violated," Veronica said.

"That was sweet of Logan. I don't think I'd be comfortable with Logan knowing every detail. Or you three discussing it together. However, I know Logan is Dick's closest friend. I don't think guys share as much as girls, but I expect that at times Dick will share more than I would be comfortable with. We are so different from one another. On one hand, that's what makes it fun and exciting. But on the other hand, I'm not sure if opposites can really last long term," Mac admitted.

"Well, I know Logan and I aren't a good example of opposites doing things right. However, I think any relationship can work if the two people involved are really committed to making it work and really care about one another. I know people that are a lot alike that have great relationships and those that aren't anything alike that seem extremely happy. So how was the walk on the beach? I never figured Dick to be so romantic unless it was a means to get inside a girl's pants. He assured me after I threatened him with bodily harm that he never tried to put the moves on you. He also informed Logan and me that he was a changed man. Who knew that one date with Cindy Mackenzie could do what doctors all over the country couldn't do?" Veronica teased, grinning at her friend.

Mac laughed at her quip and said, "I don't know about that. I think Cassidy's death it what really changed Dick. It woke him up. I'm sure I've been a good influence on him. He's never had a female friend before. I appreciate you keeping him on his toes, but I don't think you need to worry. He took me to the beach because it was the exact spot last May when he first apologized to me for being such a jerk to me and Cassidy when we were dating."

Veronica didn't expect to hear that revelation. "Really? Wow!"

"Yep, wow is pretty much it. Dick said he wanted to put his brother's ghost to rest and apologized again for the way he treated us. He felt really guilty for what Cassidy did and thinks that if he had been a better brother to him things may have been different. However, he realizes that if he had been too awful of a brother Cassidy probably would've found a way to punish him or make sure he'd been on the bus that day," Mac shared.

Veronica was thoughtful for a moment and said, "You know, you're right. I never really thought of it before. But Cassidy made a point of destroying his dad and killing Woody after terrorizing him and his family. I never felt like he hated Dick. Annoyed and impatient with his behavior at times, but he also seemed to enjoy his brother, too. Dick dragged Cassidy with him everywhere."

"I know. I pointed that out, too, to Dick. Cassidy complained about Dick and wanted to hit him sometimes. But everyone wants to hit Dick sometimes!" They both laughed in acknowledgment of that fact. "I told Dick, though, that Cassidy was never afraid of Dick and looked up to him. Dick was really grateful to hear that. He then told me that although he couldn't go back and be a better brother to Cassidy, he would promise to be a better man than he was then and a better man than he was now if I'd give him a chance to prove it."

"Wow! I stand amazed!" Veronica exclaimed. "Who knew Dick could be so introspective? He really said that?"

"Yes. And I must admit his words and sincerity overwhelmed me. I wasn't sure Dick had many layers to him. I wasn't sure that dating him would be a good thing for us or the group as a whole. But, Veronica, I've never had a guy reveal so much of himself to me and promise to be someone I deserve. Max knew I was disappointed in his choices, but he never offered to change one thing about them. He said that he was crazy about me, but Max never cared enough to fight to make things work between us, you know what I mean?" she asked Veronica.

"Yea, I do. I couldn't seem to make myself fight very hard to make things work with Piz. That's when I realized that I didn't care enough to. Usually when you care enough about someone, there's not much you won't do to make them happy or work to keep them in your life. What did you say when he said all that to you?" Veronica inquired.

"What _can_ you say? The moment was so emotional that I don't know that I could have formed words if I tried. I just knew in that moment that saying yes to a date with Dick had been the right thing to do. I also knew that I believed him and wanted to give him a chance. To give _us_ a chance, no matter the results. So I just kissed him," she admitted with a blush.

"_You _kissed him? Wow!" Veronica was impressed. Mac was pretty shy when it came to guys.

"Yes, I figured that would be better than words. And it _so _was!" Mac said, dreamily. "I didn't think I was a romantic type of girlie girl, Veronica. But now moonlit walks on the beach are definitely my favorite new pastime!"

Veronica laughed and said, "I've got a few good memories of that beach myself. Maybe it's a magical beach!"

Mac grinned in acknowledgment. Then inquired, "Do you think I'm making a mistake? You've known Dick a long time and seen some really ugly sides to him. Am I an idiot for trusting him?"

Veronica didn't answer for a moment. She knew that Mac's relationship with Dick was in the beginning stages, so she could derail it if she tried hard enough. However, she honestly didn't think that would be the right thing. Nor would Logan or Dick appreciate her interference. She answered honestly, "You could never be an idiot, Mac. How could it be a mistake? It's not like you agreed to marry him. You're just giving yourself a chance to get to know him in a new way. I think you need to trust yourself more and give yourself some credit. You wouldn't allow yourself to trust a guy that way if you truly didn't feel you could or should. I know better than anyone how much a jackass can change his spots!" They laugh at her admittance even though they both knew that there was real truth to that. Veronica continued, "Logan was worse than Dick in some ways. Dick followed Logan's lead. In high school, Dick treated me badly only because Logan made it okay and encouraged it. When Logan and I started dating, Dick never again tried to hurt me. Even after we broke up, he kept things friendly. We torment each other, but there's no real heat behind it.

Mac was happy and relieved to hear Veronica's answer. "I'm glad to hear that. I feel better knowing you don't think I'm a complete nut for going out with him."

"After what you said about your first date, it'd be crazier _not_ to give it a chance between you. People change. I changed a lot after Lilly died and so did Logan. Losing someone close to you does make a real impact. Everyone handles loss in different ways. I'm happy to see that Dick is no longer staying drunk as a way of coping and has begun to process it," Veronica said.

Mac agreed and then said, "Okay, I spilled. Now it's your turn. What went on with you and Logan last night? You're in a pretty good mood yourself, so I take it things went well?"

"My night was also a highly emotional one. But mostly in a good way. We managed to work well together watching Lily. However, I realized Duncan was right, and we needed to clear the air. He'd been mostly avoiding me lately. So I just came out and ask him if he was still mad at me for almost sleeping with Piz," she shared.

"You did? I'm impressed. What did he say?" Mac asked.

"He told me that he was mostly upset with himself for deceiving himself into thinking I wasn't serious about Piz. He didn't understand how I could be with someone like Piz after being with him," Veronica told her.

"Well, Logan isn't the only one. I like Piz and understood why you'd like him, but he wasn't your equal. I know Logan and you are very different, but there's so much sparkage between you that most of us didn't quite know how you were settling for Piz when there wasn't nearly the heat," Mac admitted.

"Really? Why didn't you say something?" Veronica wondered.

"Well, things are always so complicated with you and Logan, and when he started dating Parker, I guess I was a bit relieved you took it so well and began seeing Piz. I just never thought it'd last as long as it did. If you and he had spent the summer together, I sort of think you would've realized it sooner," Mac confessed.

"You're probably right. Anyway, I apologized for hurting Logan and did point out that he moved on first with Parker."

Mac smiled at that, "Good for you! I'm glad you brought up that point."

"He told me that she was just his attempt to pull himself out of the misery he was feeling due to me breaking up with him. He knew it was a mistake, and she knew he still loved me. That's why she dumped him," Veronica explained.

"Yea, believe me, I heard all about it in volume. I'd never been so glad for a semester of school to end. I felt bad for Parker, but also wanted to shake her and say, 'What did you expect? Do you know the lengths Logan has gone through for Veronica?' But I didn't want to get into all the history. I should've warned her before they began dating," Mac admitted.

"Well, we both saw her Colin Ferrell poster on the wall. Logan is her type," Veronica said.

"Lucky for you, she isn't his type!" Mac teased.

Veronica refused to respond to that comment and continued, "Logan then said he didn't know what else to say. We both seem to hurt each other without intending to. And he's right about that. Then he told me that he'd never loved anything or anyone more than me, and yet I could so easily walk away from him. He didn't think I really cared that much about him in the end."

"Oh, wow, I feel bad for him. I can't believe he really felt that way!" Mac remarked sympathetically. "How could he not know how much you cared about him? What did you say?"

"I told him that it was never easy for me to walk away from him. That I felt so much that it scared me and made me act irrational. Then he asked me if I had ever really loved him," she revealed, sad to even give voice to that part of the conversation.

"Ouch! After all you two have been through, how could he doubt that? Why would you have even went out with him in the first place unless you were crazy about him?" Mac asked.

"Yea, right? Guys are stupid sometimes. Just because I don't wear my heart on my sleeve doesn't mean that I don't have one! It hurts me to think that someone I was so close to still couldn't see me. I thought Logan knew me better than anyone. I'm not sure if he'll ever really allow himself to trust me again. I don't know if I would allow myself to trust him either," she admitted to Mac.

"Do you really think that? You can't give love without trust. I can see being leery of getting hurt again if you open yourself up to it. But Logan has lost more than anyone I have ever known. Yet he still reaches out to people and loves and cares with his whole heart." Mac stopped and looked at her friend, wondering if she should say more. "If you really can't see yourself trusting him, then you really need to walk away and let him go. He deserves more than that and so do you."

Veronica didn't answer right away. Then she said, "I know that I cannot see myself truly letting him go. I don't even want to. I can't imagine him not being in my life. I've always thought things between us were too hard. Should it be that hard? Logan always said that no one wrote songs about relationships that came easy."

"He's right. If a man so obviously felt so much for me, I know I couldn't walk away. The lengths he'll go to for you never ceases to amaze me," Mac told her.

"I know. That's just it. Logan doesn't know limits. That's what scares me about him and being in a relationship with him. I like things to add up and have clear boundaries. That's why I like the law-clear limits and consequences. You always know what to expect. With Logan, there's no way to guess or predict. It's exciting, but it also terrifies me. He brings out everything in me. All the good and all the bad. I don't like facing some of the things he brings out in me. I'm not sure it's always for the best," she stopped, unsure of how to explain.

"Well, I think if a person can impact you that way, no matter the type of relationship you have, it's amazing. That is rare and it's special. You and Logan apart are great people. You just need to ask yourself if you like who you are together better than you like who you are apart? Do you care enough about him to quit holding back? Do you want to put the time and energy into making things really work with him? If so, there's only one path for you to take," Mac said, confident that she was right.

Veronica didn't answer. She wanted to quit holding back a part of herself. She was beginning to be sick of herself and the cycle she seemed to be stuck in. No one in her life ever made her feel as much as Logan did. Her dad told her that she couldn't fault Logan for loving her too much or judging how he loved her. But she had. It wasn't easy for her to let things go. Even if she felt like she'd forgiven Logan's behavior in high school, a part of her was waiting for him to let her down. Sleeping with Madison seemed like proof that she'd been right to keep a part of herself from him. Now she wondered if she'd given up too easily. Had she been looking for a way out? After he'd broken up with her and they'd gotten back together, things between them had seemed better than ever. They had been connecting in ways they hadn't before. But she pushed until she discovered something she couldn't deal with or rather wouldn't.

For some reason, an image of her mother came to her mind. Leanne had run fast and hard when things came up that she couldn't deal with. When running didn't help, she turned to alcohol. She'd been so close to her mom. Her parents had been genuinely happy, but her mom had kept a part of herself from her dad. She'd never allowed herself to fully love him because she'd been unable to let Jake Kane go. Veronica didn't want to be her mother. She didn't want to make those mistakes. She wanted to be like her dad. He had loved her mother with every part of himself. Even after Leanne had ran, he still accepted her back when she returned. He loved her and Veronica enough to commit to working things out. If her mom had really wanted things to work, she would've stayed and fought for their family. For the first time, Veronica realized that Logan and her dad were a lot alike. Both love fiercely and passionately. Both would go to any lengths for those they love. Both were insanely protective. Both make her laugh. Both make her feel special.

Veronica suddenly laughed as things become really clear. Why was she so afraid? There was no reason to be. She knew what she needed to do. The cookout at Logan's seemed like a good place to start.

To Be Continued…

_I didn't intend to go on so long in this chapter. I had intended this chapter to be mostly about the cookout. However, it seemed like the girls were in need of some serious girl talk! Since most of the readers are female, I'm sure you can understand! Not as much LoVe as some may want, but I think things inside of them have to change before they can succeed as a couple. _


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 18: A Perfect Day

When Wallace opened the door, he smiled to see Keith. He welcomed him and let him know where he could find Alicia. Wallace hoped that the more time his mom spent with Keith the more likely they would rekindle their former romance. He knew that they were once very close. Veronica and he had begun to believe they may actually one day be real siblings through their union. Wallace told Keith that Veronica was not there yet. They were waiting on the ladies. Duncan was already there with Lily. Currently, Alicia and Darrel were entertaining themselves playing with her.

Keith went over to join them. This was his first time to see Duncan's daughter. Duncan told Lily, "Honey, this is Veronica's dad, Mr. Mars."

Keith said to Duncan that is was perfectly find for her to call him Keith. Keith got down on his knees and said, "Hi, Lily, my name is Keith." She looked at him and smiled shyly as she clung to her dad's leg. Keith greeted Alicia with a warm smile. He sat down on the floor next to her so that he could play with Lily. It had been a while since he had an opportunity to play with a baby. With her blonde hair, it made him remember his own daughter at that age.

The door bell rang again, and Wallace once again went to answer it. When he saw that it finally was Mac and Veronica, he said, "I was wondering when you all were going to get here. What's with the bell ringing? Mac, you usually just walk on in." He then noticed they had someone new with them that he had never met before, a strikingly beautiful woman. Wallace wasted no time. He said to Veronica, "I thought we were friends, V? Why are you keeping your beautiful friends from me?" He smiled flirtatiously at Jazmin.

Veronica laughed and said, "Jazmin, this is my best friend Wallace Fennel. He's on the Hearst basketball team and is a future engineer of America!"

Jazmin smiled in greeting and said coyly, "Do you know any ugly guys, Veronica Mars?"

Veronica laughed and answered, "I'm sure I do. But Wallace here is the best!" She gave him a hug and headed toward her dad as she had spotted him in the living room. Wallace and Jazmin began to exchange pleasantries as Mac walked around looking for Dick.

Duncan soon spotted Jazmin talking and laughing with Wallace. He got up and quickly headed toward them. "Hey, Jazmin. I'm glad you could make it."

"You two already know each other?" Wallace inquired.

"Yes, Dick, Logan, and I met her the first week of classes in the food court with Veronica. She and I had dinner last night." Dick couldn't resist letting Wallace know that he had a prior claim. Jazmin asked where the drinks were located. Duncan pointed them out.

As she walked away Wallace shared, "Wow! That girl is _so_ fine!"

Duncan grinned knowingly and responded, "Yea, I noticed. But I saw her first, man!"

Wallace laughed and said, "It's a good thing I'm too busy this semester for women, or I might have to give you a run for your money!" They both laugh good-naturedly. "That's the kind of girl that can make a man forget his own name!" Duncan agreed as they both stand and observe the object of their affection across the room.

Duncan decided to go and introduce her to his daughter. He headed toward her and asked, "Jazmin, would you like to meet my daughter?" Once again he noticed something flash in her eyes. Before he could ask her if anything's wrong, her eyes clear and she smiled readily. "Sure. I'd love to."

Even though she seemed willing enough, Duncan was unsure and watched her closely when he introduced her to Lily. His trepidation was forgotten when she quickly sat down on the floor next to Lily and began talking to her. "She seems to like kids," Duncan thought. He figured that could only be a good thing.

Mac found Dick outside arguing with Logan about the best way to get the grill heated up. She smiled fondly at them and went over to greet them. She was a bit unsure when Dick smiled at her, but he continued fiddling with the grill. Mac had gotten so used to Dick's exuberant greetings even before they had dated that his lack of one now struck her as being very odd. Veronica had told her how excited he had been this morning about their date. Right now he was mostly ignoring her. It was very unDicklike behavior. Because they were friends first, she felt comfortable enough to say, "Dick, can I have a minute?"

Logan told him that he had the grill. Dick felt torn. Naturally, he wanted to spend time with Mac. However, he hadn't yet come to terms with what Logan had revealed to him earlier. He was unsure of how he should act. But he said, "Yo, Mackie, what's up?"

She smiled and said, "I just wanted to say hello and ask if everything's okay?"

Dick said, "Sure. I'm cool. How are you?"

Mac was even more confused by his behavior. He was acting a lot different toward her than he had less than twenty-four hours ago-very distant. "I'm great. I had a really great time last night."

Dick finally gave her that familiar grin of his. "Yea, me, too."

She expected him to say more and when he didn't she began to feel a bit awkward. She told him that she just wanted to say hi and would let him get back to the grill. As she walked back into the house, Dick looked regretfully after her. He wanted to go after her, but he didn't know what to say. He hoped something would come to him.

Mac headed back, disappointed, into the living room. Everyone was sitting together telling stories. Keith was telling everyone some of his favorite stories about Veronica when she learned to walk.

"She was nosy even at two. She had to open anything that could be opened and try to take apart anything she could. Leanne and I had to virtually empty lower cabinets. She loved to crawl in them and hide or pull everything out and examine it. We were always finding her in the oddest places." He laughed and put his arm around his daughter.

Alicia smiled and said, "Well, Wallace only had one speed when he started walking, or rather, he rarely walked, but he ran everywhere. I probably lost ten pounds easily just chasing him around. That boy had enough energy for ten kids! I was ecstatic when he was old enough to start school."

"You know you cried when I started school, Mom!" Wallace reminded her, grinning.

Veronica interjected, "Now Wallace, you know that was _you_ that was crying!" They laughed as Wallace jumped on her and put her in a headlock, purposely messing up her hair. He knew that was sure to make her nuts. However, it took her very little time to exert her own particular skill set and have Wallace begging for mercy. The easy affection between them was obvious to everyone. Their parents watched them, smiling at their antics.

Jazmin smiled at the scene before her. Her new friends seemed really close to one another. She wasn't used to seeing men and women that weren't family interact in such a comfortable way with no pressure or sexual tension. Veronica really did seem to be only friends with both Duncan and Wallace. Jazmin had never managed to achieve that very well with most men she met. Veronica's and Wallace's relationship with their parents also appeared to be very close. Jazmin couldn't help but envy them their obvious close bonds. As she watched them, it made her miss her own brother. The only one she always had to depend on.

Logan came in and announced that the grill was hot, and they were ready to start grilling. Veronica quickly got up and followed him as headed to the kitchen to get the meat.

He saw her and smiled in greeting. She said, "This was a really good idea, Logan. I'm glad you suggested it."

He responded, "Yes, I thought it would be. The last time most of us were together was an ugly day." He went to the fridge to get out the meat he had ready for the grill.

"I think we need to make a point of replacing all our ugly memories with good ones," Veronica informed him, smiling flirtatiously at him.

Logan hadn't seen that particular look on her face in a long time-at least not aimed at him. He wasn't sure what it meant but asked gamely, "What exactly did you have in mind?"

She explained, "It's all a matter of perspective. For instance, you know how I often used to refer to you as a psychotic jackass?"

Logan smirked, "Yep, good times!"

She looked him in the eyes and winked. "That was really a term of endearment."

"Oh, really?" he asked a grinning tugging on his lips.

"Really," she responded, smiling.

"Is that the best you got?" Logan asked.

She smiled and said, "Remember that time in high school when I put that bong in your locker that got you arrested?"

He grinned and replied, "Uh, yeah, vaguely."

"Well, that was just my way of getting your attention," she explained, coyly.

"Oh, it was, was it?" he asked, smiling.

"Yep," she said. "Good to know," he responded.

She steps closer to him. "And remember when I foolishly broke up with you before our senior year claiming you were out of control?"

"How could I forget that?" he said, grimacing.

"Well, that was just me experiencing momentary insanity," she explained with a soft smile as she took another step toward him.

"Insanity? Is that your story?" he asked, enjoying her game.

"Yes, and I'm stickin' to it! And the insanity continued when school started, and I spent all my free time with that weird Kane fellow," she insisted.

"Can I quote you on that?" he asked, chuckling.

"Hey, you can't hold it against me. I was out of my mind!" she exclaimed as she stepped directly in front of him.

Then she grabbed his hand and said in complete seriousness now, "And remember how I insisted I would never get the image of you and Madison out of my head?"

Losing his smile, he looked down at her, naked emotion reflected in his eyes and said softly, "I remember."

"That image is gone. Erased. It never happened," she said slowly and meaningfully.

Logan looked at her for a moment, trying to detect how serious she was now. His heart rate sped up. "What are you trying to say, Veronica?" he asked, needing her to say it clearly.

"I know we can't go back really, Logan, and change anything. Sometimes I think we were too young in high school to handle all the intense emotions we were feeling at the time anyway. I regret so many things. But I don't regret whatever led me to say yes to you the first time our junior year. I want you to know and believe me when I say that I know you are not the man you were then. Except for the part of you that always looked out for me and found ways to save me. Sometimes from myself." She gave him a soft smile. "And I'm not who I was then or even who I was at the beginning of this year." She paused a moment, looking intently at him as if silently pleading that he understand. Then she continued, "I want you to know that I trust you and want us to try to work our way back to one another. I want you in my life as a friend at the very least. But I hope we can build on that this time and find a way to share our lives completely. Do you know what I'm trying to say?" she asked, stumbling for the first time, hoping he truly saw her and her intent.

Logan's hand came up and cupped her cheek. A soft smile rest on his face and he answered, "Yes, I do." He looked searchingly into her eyes. Then he said, "You're okay, Veronica Mars. I'll be glad to call you my friend." He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips, one of friendship and genuine caring. Then he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly against his chest. Her arms went around him, and she rested her head upon his chest.

They're standing there wrapped in each other's arms when the kitchen door swung open and Dick barged in. "Dude! Where's the beef?" He took in the scene in front of him and grinned. "Oh, I see you're busy. My bad!"

Veronica stepped back from Logan. He grinned at her and grabbed the plate of meat off the counter that he'd laid it on. "Don't worry. I got your beef!"

"Yeah, I bet you do!" Dick said, smirking.

Logan shook his head and smiled at Veronica as he headed out of the kitchen. Veronica went to follow him out when Dick grabbed her arm. Veronica looked down at his hand on her arm in surprise. "What's up, Dick?" she asked.

Dick looked at her with no trace of humor and said, "Don't break him again, Veronica. Don't. I mean it."

Veronica looked at him for a moment, finally realizing that Mac was right about Dick when it came to Logan. She put her hand over the one that still held onto her arm. "It's okay, Dick," she told him, "I won't. Things are different. I promise. We're not rushing into anything. You don't need to worry."

"That's good to know." He stopped and looked at her not sure if he should continue but then decided he had to. "Hey, Ronnie, do you think I can ask you something about Mac?" Dick asked, unsure.

"That depends. What do you want to know?" Veronica responded.

"Logan mentioned to me this morning, as he was echoing your warnings concerning Mac, that the night my brother died he had left Mac naked in the hotel room. I hadn't known that before. Is she okay?" Dick asked, not sure how to ask what he wanted to know.

Veronica had not expected to hear him ask her that, nor for him to bring up that particular night. The two of them had never spoken about it. "Yes, Dick, she's okay. Now. She's worked through it. If she hadn't, she wouldn't have gone out with you."

Dick looked relieved. Then he said, "You know I'm really sorry, Veronica, about what my brother did to you that day at the party. And I am really sorry about my part in it. I should've said that to you a long time ago. I know we don't speak about it, and I know we both mostly rather not. But you're Mac's best friend and Logan's mine. It's time that we did, especially if you and Logan are trying to work things out. I am sorry, too, about what my brother put you through the night he died. I know he hurt you, and I can't help but feel that I have some responsibility about it."

Veronica decided then to give him the absolution he sought. "Dick, it's okay. We're all different people now. We can never change what happened, but I've moved past it. It means a lot to me that you'd say that. I want you to know that I am sorry for what happened with Cassidy. I can't say I'll ever forgive him. I'm not really built that way. But I know that he was damaged. Damaged in ways none of us knew or saw. For your sake, I'm sorry it ended the way it did. You are not to blame for what he did. And I have to believe that at Shelly's party you wouldn't have left me in the room with him that night if you really believed he would've raped me." She said the word rape to him for the first time in reference to what his brother did so that it would be clear to him exactly what she went through before they put it to rest. She needed him to grasp what his actions led to even if she was ready to let it go and let him off the hook for it. As she looked at him, she realized that a big part of her had blamed him. However, her relationship with Logan and his with Dick forced her to push it deep down inside of her as she did Logan's part in the events that unfolded that night. She hadn't been able to deal with what her blame would mean for her and Logan. Now she understood it was what had been behind her mostly lack of tolerance for Dick and her impatience with him.

Dick flinched when he heard her say that. Her words reinforced his own sense of guilt and blame for that night. He said, "I know I'm not to blame for everything Beaver did. But what happened to you at the party-I am. That would not have happened if I hadn't been a complete and total ass. I was drunk but that's no excuse. Veronica, I honestly never dreamed that Beaver would actually touch you. It was just a joke to embarrass and humiliate him. It wasn't _at all_ about hurting you! I swear! I never knew what he did, nor had I wanted that to happen to you even though I told him to do it. I never for one second meant that I wanted him to have sex with you while you were unconscious. Nor did I dream that he would. You have to believe me. It makes me sick thinking about what he did to you and to Mac. I'm not sure I can forgive myself, but I want you to know how truly sorry I am about it and my part in it. I wish I could go back and change it." He stopped upset.

Veronica was genuinely touched by his sincere apology. A part of her was also relieved for Mac's sake. She was glad to see Dick really had changed and begun to understand that his actions have consequences. "It's okay, Dick. There's a lot about high school we all wish we could go back and change. The important thing is that we understand that our actions have consequences and learn from our mistakes. I would like for us to be able to move past this and try to be real friends."

Dick smiled in relief and hugged her. For once, Veronica doesn't flinch or push him away but allowed him to have the touch that was always so important to him.

Mac entered the kitchen, looking for Dick and Veronica, concerned at what could be keeping them so long. Her eyes widened in surprise when she came in and saw Dick and Veronica hugging. Her surprise was followed by concern. Something must be really wrong for the two of them to be exchanging embraces. "Hey, guys, what's up? Is everything okay?" she asked, concerned.

Veronica turned around and smiled. "Everything's great, Mac. Finally." She smiled her thanks to Dick and turned to leave them standing in the kitchen.

Mac looked quizzically at Dick. "So what just happened? I have never in my life seen you and Veronica act so friendly."

Dick walked toward the kitchen table and took a seat, indicating that Mac should join him. He told her, "Quite a lot actually. I'm sorry I was so distant toward you earlier. I didn't want to be, but I was trying to work through something and didn't know what to say."

Mac was relieved he was taking the steps on his own to communicate with her. "It's okay. I was wondering what was wrong. I'm glad you're ready to talk about it. If we want to succeed at being closer, then it's important that we feel comfortable enough with one another that we can talk about things."

He nodded and continued, "This morning after Veronica finished giving me the lecture about treating you right and left, Logan and I had a similar talk. He told me to that I needed to tread carefully with you."

"Really?" she inquired surprised. She expected that from Veronica but had never thought Logan's protectiveness would extend to her.

"Yea, then he told me he had seen firsthand how Beaver treated you and how it affected you. I never knew that Beaver had left you in the hotel room the way that he did," Dick revealed.

"I can't believe he told you that," Mac said, somewhat embarrassed that Logan would mention that to Dick.

"Well, he wasn't telling me it just to share a story or to upset you. He was telling me it because he knew that it was something I needed to know. And it was. I wish I had heard it from you though," Dick said.

"That night is not something I like to even think about, let alone talk about," Mac told him.

Dick took one of her hands into his. "It scared me when Logan told me that. I thought he may have do something more to hurt you."

"He didn't," Mac reassured him quickly.

"Stranding you naked was enough." He saw that Mac was uncomfortable with his knowledge of what happened. "Mac, don't be embarrassed or upset that I know. You have nothing to be embarrassed about. I'm the one that is embarrassed. And ashamed that he treated you that way, and yet I still sought for a way to hurt you after he died by calling you his beard."

Mac had all but put that particular exchange out of her mind and didn't like Dick reminding her of his hurtful remarks. She pulled her hand out of his. "I don't really want to talk about this, Dick."

"I'm sorry, Mac. I'm not trying to upset you. I just want to make things right. I meant what I said last night. I'm a changed man, and I'm going to be the kind of man you deserve. To do that I gotta first make up for what I did. That's why I was talking to Veronica. I wanted to ask her if you were okay." He stopped and looked at her, gauging her reaction.

"Of course, I'm okay, Dick. You may have just now found out the details of that night in regards to me, but I've had a whole year to process it. It was ugly, and it was awful. I will never fully understand why Cassidy did that to me. When it happened, I _was _devastated. Now, of course, I know why he hadn't been able to make love to me. My heart breaks for what he went through and how he never felt like he could talk to me or anyone else about it. Maybe if he had things would have turned out differently. But you don't need to feel bad about the way he treated me. That has nothing to do with you, nor does it have anything to do with us now," she assured him.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"I'm sure. Now what else were you and Veronica talking about? There's got to be more since you were actually hugging when I came in!" she smiled.

"I was finally taking the opportunity to apologize to her for my part in what Beaver did to her. I was the one who put her in the room with him the night he raped her. I told her that I didn't believe for a second that he would actually touch her. It was just me being the great brother I was, trying to humiliate him," he said, the self-loathing evident in his voice. "I didn't know he would touch her when she was passed out."

Mac was disturbed by his confession. Veronica never spoke of that night with much detail. She knew Dick had been there and had been questioned. Veronica concluded that Dick had given Madison some of the drug and spit it in her drink. She decided to question Dick about the part that truly bothered her. "Dick, Veronica never seemed to blame you for what happened, so I never thought to either. However, I must ask you why you thought it was okay to drug Madison's drink, your own girlfriend? Why would you do such a thing?"

Her question left Dick reeling. He had not expected it. "God, Mac, I don't know. It was something the guys did to loosen up their girlfriends. You were supposed to take it, too, and experience it together. I never thought of it as a bad thing or thought it could lead to the things it did. I just didn't really think much at all, to tell you the truth."

"After today, I don't want to talk about this again, Dick. Or make you worry I'll throw it in your face later on down the road. But I can't be with someone I can't trust. I have to know that you truly understand how wrong it is to drug someone's drink or deceive someone you're supposed to care about that way. I need to know that I'm safe with you always, and if you and I were ever drinking you won't get the same crazy idea in your head or something similar," she said, looking seriously at him, needing him to understand how important this was.

Her doubt hurt him, but he knew that he deserved it. The fact that she was willing to give him a chance at all was a miracle. "Mac, I can't even say I understand sometimes my own stupidity or why I don't think things through or even think much at all. Until I became friends with you, I'm not sure I ever gave thought to much beside my own selfish pleasure. I'm sure I'll do stupid things sometimes or things you won't like. I'm not as smart as you or Logan. But you gotta know that I will never do anything to purposely hurt or humiliate you. Nor will I ever risk your safety or your health in any way. I promise. And Madison never really meant much to me. I never cared about her like I care about you. Not even close," When he finished, he looked intently at her, praying she believed him, terrified she wouldn't.

She looked at him for a moment and then replied, "Okay, Dick. I believe you mean it, and I believe you're trying to change. I don't need you to be perfect, nor do I expect you to never screw up. I'm not perfect either. Sometimes you won't like me either."

He grinned and said, "I can't see that happening. I like everything about you. Especially those lips." He leaned over and kissed her. Mac's arms went around his neck and soon she found herself lost in his embrace.

Wallace chose that moment to enter the kitchen. His mouth fell open at the sight of Mac kissing Dick the way she was kissing him. He wanted to leave before they noticed him. However, Logan sent him in here specifically to get something that was needed for the grilling. He cleared his throat. It didn't seem to make any impact on the two of them. He waited a beat. Then tried again, "Excuse me!"

Finally, Mac pulled back at the sound of his voice. She looked behind Dick and saw Wallace. "Oh my God!" She hid her face against Dick's chest really embarrassed. Public displays of affection weren't something she was big on, especially not the way she had been kissing Dick. Dick, of course, found her reaction hilarious and grinned down at her. Wallace walked over to the fridge to get some more barbeque sauce and another plate of meat. Dick attempted to get Mac to look up at him, but she refused until she heard the kitchen door close again.

"That was so embarrassing!" she exclaimed.

"It was not! It was just Wallace, and we were only kissing. It's not a big deal," he insisted, grinning at her obvious discomfort.

"Not to you maybe because you're practically an exhibitionist! I'm not. I prefer to keep my making out for your eyes only," she informed him, disgruntled.

He laughed and got up from the table, pulling her up. "Well, babe, I can't promise to not touch you in front of people. I'm trying to change and all, but there are some things that are beyond me. And not putting my hands on you around others is one of those things!" He looked down at her pout and kissed it quickly. "Come on. Let's get out of here and go get something to eat, or I may not be able to behave myself." She gave in and laughed at him as she allowed him to pull her with him out of the kitchen.

Soon everyone had gotten their fill of food. Eventually, someone suggested they play a friendly game of touch football. Since they had enough people, the guys convinced the girls it would be fun. Alicia and Keith agreed to cheer from the sidelines and watch Lily, who was about to fall asleep anyway. Mac, Dick, Logan, and Darrel were on one team. Duncan, Jazmin, Veronica, and Wallace were on the second. Naturally, Duncan and Logan were the quarterbacks of their respective teams. They agreed that Logan's team would have the ball first since they were handicapped somewhat by the fourth member being considerably younger than everyone else.

Logan had never had an opportunity to play football with either Mac or Darrel, so he was not aware of their strengths or weaknesses. He decided to pass the ball first to Darrel who somehow managed to sneak around Veronica before Jazmin tagged him. Logan smirked at Veronica for being unable to snag Darrel as he snuck by her. His smirk reminded Veronica of her competitive nature, and she was determined to not let it happen again. She told Wallace that Logan and Dick would be insufferable if they win and got bragging rights. He agreed and the two of them make a plan to stop any ball movement on the next play. Veronica was going to take Mac while Wallace would take Dick-leaving Jazmin to watch for Darrel again.

On Logan's next pass, he decided to toss it to Mac. Unfortunately, Veronica managed to "accidentally" bump into her, and the ball slipped threw her hands. Dick told her not to let Veronica Mars run over her. "You can take her, Mac-attack!" he assured her. Mac had tried telling the guys more than once that she was _not _a jock. However, her words always fell on deaf ears because she seemed to be frequently finding herself in situations like this. This was what happens when she decided to quit spending time around her techno friends.

Logan decided on the next play to go long and let Dick receive. Hopefully, they could finally move the ball. Dick was in perfect position to catch, however, out of nowhere Jazmin jumped high and intercepted the ball! Her unexpected interception caught Logan's team unaware, and she managed to run all the way down the field to score the first touchdown. Naturally, Veronica, Duncan, and Wallace couldn't quit yelling and exclaiming over her feat. Veronica made a point of flashing Logan the "Loser" sign. He laughed and told her to wait and see before declaring victory after just one touchdown. And sure enough, on the very next play, he had Dick go again for the end zone. However, he also told Mac to station herself close to him because he was really going to pass it to her and then knock down all the defenders while she charged to get the touchdown. He hoped most of Duncan's team would naturally focus on Dick. For once, his plan worked. Mac managed to sneak around Veronica with the ball Logan had handed her. Veronica, like Duncan, had been focusing on Dick and didn't see her in possession of the ball. Logan knocked Wallace down so that Mac could sail across the designated end zone for the touchdown.

Mac stood there in frozen amazement, unsure of what to do with the ball. Dick immediately ran over to her and picked her up and spun her around, "Way to go Mackie! That's my girl!" He planted and exuberant kiss on her lips before releasing her. Mac was embarrassed but proud that she actually contributed to her team. Dick grabbed the ball and demonstrated what to do with it by spiking it to the ground and then doing an impromptu victory dance. His dance was predictably ridiculous but had all the onlookers laughing.

Over on the sidelines, Keith and Alicia were laughing at their kids and their friends. Keith said, "I'd forgotten how much fun it can be hanging out with young adults. It's been a long time for me." Alicia responded, "Well, I've been around Dick and Logan some over the summer when Wallace was here. They're good boys. Dick is a bit strange sometimes, but he never fails to entertain. He reminds me of an overgrown puppy sometime. He and Logan are quite a pair. They're much different from Wallace's basketball friends."

Keith never thought he'd find any redeeming qualities in anyone with the last name Casablancas. However, he knew that Logan had proven to be much better than his blood relatives, so it was possible that Dick would prove the same. Keith figured that he would withhold judgment for a time. He told Alicia, "I'm glad that you and I have got to spend some more time together. It's nice." She smiled in agreement.

Now that Duncan's team has possession of the ball, he decided to let Veronica have a shot. He tossed her the ball, and she began to gain some yards. Logan saw her and ran toward her, determined to be the one to tag her. He came behind her. Instead of tagging her waist, he placed his hands on her waist and scooped her up off of her feet.

"Logan!" she screeched. "Put me down, you nut!" Instead of complying immediately, he turned her body toward him and slowly lowered her to the ground in front of him, making sure that her body brushed his as he set her on her feet. She shoved him and exclaimed, "I'm pretty sure you broke like ten rules with that little display, Mr. Hot Shot! Manhandling is not allowed!" She was smiling when she said it, so Logan knew she was not really upset at his maneuvering.

He grinned and said for her ears only, "You know you loved it!" She looked up at him and smiled flirtatiously but refused to respond.

On the next play, Duncan handed the ball to Jazmin who managed to sidestep both Logan and Dick as she gracefully made it to the end zone yet again. Wallace was standing next to Duncan as she made the touchdown. He said to Duncan, "Man, would you look at that! There is nothing hotter than a beautiful woman who is also athletic!"

Duncan agreed, grinning and said, "I know. Why do you think I didn't waste any time asking her for a second date?" Wallace smiled but turned away, not wanting Duncan to see his disappointment. He thought, "It's just my luck to finally meet an amazing woman only to find Duncan Kane already staking a claim."

Now that his team had the ball again, Logan decided to pull a reversal. He told Dick that he would hand off to him and then he would run long to receive the ball. Dick would be the one to throw it to him. Having played ball with Logan before, Dick was more than willing to have a go at quarterbacking a throw.

When Veronica saw Logan in motion, she kept her eyes on him. It allowed her to see the quick role reversal that he and Dick had planned. She positioned herself in a place she expected Logan to head to. Sure enough, he was a few feet in front of her when he turned to catch the ball. Veronica quickly snuck in behind him just as he caught the ball. He looked down in surprise when Veronica swiftly tagged him, preventing him from running the ball into the end zone like he planned. "Gotcha!" she exclaimed, gleefully.

"Why, you sneak!" he responded, lunging for her. She dodged him and ran with him chasing at her heels. She laughed as she made it safely behind Duncan and Wallace. He gave her a look that let her know he would get her back at first opportunity.

The game lasted another hour with both sides managing to score a few touchdowns a piece. However, Logan's team just could not manage to neutralize the surprisingly talented Jazmin. Everyone was finding her a welcome addition to their gathering. She didn't talk smack like Veronica, so Logan was inclined to look favorably on her. He told Veronica, "There's nothing worse than arrogantly superior winners lording it over the other team!"

She laughed and told him, "If you had won, you would've been much worse, and you know it!" He smirked in agreement.

As they gathered for a drink after it was over, Duncan reminded everyone about Lily's shower the next Saturday at his parents. He was quick to invite Alicia and Keith. When he asked Jazmin if she could come, she gave him an evasive response. He looked puzzled, but he thought he'd pin her down next Friday when they went out on their second date. He figured that she needed to check her schedule before committing.

Duncan was the first to depart because Lily was wiped out. Alicia, Keith, and Darrel left not much later. However, the rest of them weren't ready for the day to end. Logan, Dick, and Veronica especially wanted to hold on to a day that was filled with only good times. Logan wanted to extend the companionable time spent with Veronica. Dick, of course, never wanted a good time to end.

Veronica, on the other hand, was surprised that she didn't want to leave when her dad left. She had been gone all summer. Unlike Mac, she had not gotten to spend time with the guys. Logan's party before classes started had gotten mostly ruined by Gory. It had been a long time since she'd had so much fun in a group. As a matter of fact, the last time may have been when Lily was alive. Most good memories she had after Lily's death involved one on one times with her friends. After Shelly Pomrey's party, she no longer believed she could have fun in a group setting. None of the parties she had attended in college convinced her otherwise. She smiled happily when they decided to spend the rest of the evening hanging out together at the beach house. They entertained one another with stories, jokes, and even an insane game of charades.

As it approached midnight, Veronica and Mac said goodbye to the guys. Dick wanted to kiss Mac goodnight. However, she made a point of turning her head so that he could only kiss her cheek. She soothed her rejection by giving him a hug, whispering to him that she wasn't ready for much PDA yet. Veronica hugged Wallace and Logan goodbye, giving Logan's hand a squeeze as she pulled away. He smiled down at her, happy that they could be around each other again without any bad feelings or awkwardness. Wallace was reluctant to say goodbye to Jazmin, unsure of when he would see her again. However, he was very pleased when she told him that she'd look him up on Facebook.

When the girls got into the car, Jazmin turned to Veronica and proclaimed, "Wow, what a great day! You guys really know how to have fun! That was probably the best day I've spent since coming to Neptune. I really like your friends. It was a perfect day!"

Veronica smiled in agreement. "It really was, wasn't it?"

_This chapter is a bit long, but I wanted to make it as good as possible. I hope you found it to be a perfect day also! Logan and Veronica's talk is not THE talk. However, they are almost ready. _


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 19: The Game

It was the Thursday after the cookout at the beach house. Wallace was trying to cram in a lot of school work before the weekend. He went to the food court on campus after his last class because it was usually fairly empty at that time of day. There was a basketball scrimmage tomorrow night and Lily's christening on Saturday, so he had to complete a lot of reading and studying before then. Knowing his friends the way he did, he doubted he would be able to get any studying done over the weekend.

That was what he was doing when Piz came in and spotted him. Piz stopped a few feet from his table, debating on what to do. He had felt really bad about what happened between him and Wallace. From the first day at Hearst, Wallace had gone out of his way to be his friend and made sure Piz never had to be alone until he found his own way. He was never just a roommate but always someone Piz could depend on. The fact that Wallace got angry enough at him to actually hit him told Piz how far out of line he had been. Never had Wallace acted in such a fashion. He did not possess a hair trigger temper. Piz knew how close Veronica and he were. The fact that a white girl and a black man could be so close should have been proof enough of how much Wallace valued the relationship. It hadn't been right to put Wallace in the middle nor to bad mouth her to Wallace. Piz knew it when he was saying it, but he just couldn't seem to stop himself. He was really ashamed. Wallace may not want to see him, but Piz knew that he owed him an apology. He took a deep breath and headed toward Wallace's table.

"Hey, Wallace. Do you mind if I talk to you a minute?" Piz asked hesitantly.

Wallace looked up in surprise. He had managed to avoid Piz pretty well the past few weeks or whenever he went by the dorms. However, it wasn't in Wallace's nature to hold a grudge. He indicated to Piz with a gesture that he could sit down. He didn't say anything but waited for Piz to speak.

"Wallace, I just wanted to tell you that I am sorry about what happened. I'm really sorry for acting so awful after Veronica and I broke up. And I'm especially sorry for putting you in the middle and bad mouthing her to you. You've been a good friend to me since I came to Hearst, and I didn't mean to be so ungrateful. I value your friendship and hope you will forgive me. I really miss having you as a roommate. I understand why you left, but I hope we can get past it and still be friends at least," he finished apologetically.

Wallace responded, "Well, Piz, I accept your apology. I'm sorry for hitting you. I shouldn't have done that, but so much crap had been going on and it was just the last straw. I've had to sit back and watch Veronica take a lot of abuse over the past few years, but I won't have it from someone that is supposed to be my friend first."

"I know, man, and I am sorry. Really," Piz said.

"I hear you, Piz. We can try to be friends again, but I'm not sure I'm ready to move back in the dorms. I know in some ways you're an outsider like I was when I first came to Neptune. But it was Veronica who gave me a place. She was the one who reached out to me like I reached out to you. Never has she betrayed my trust or abused my friendship. She's family to me, and I will always choose her side if I'm forced to choose. But she would never put me in that position 'cause she's not like that. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Wallace asked pointedly, reminding Piz that it had been him who had forced Wallace to choose.

Piz looked ashamed. "I do, Wallace. And I know how great Veronica is. I do. That's mainly why I was acting so awful. I knew when we started dating she wasn't as into me as I was into her, but I still wanted her. She's unlike anyone I had ever met. I knew that day here in the food court last May that I couldn't compete with Logan, but I just couldn't bring myself to walk away. I wanted her too much. I was an idiot, and then I acted like an idiot."

"You'll have to clear the air with her eventually, or I don't think I could move back into the dorms with you," Wallace told him. "She's in a good place right now. Better than she's been in a long time. Don't approach her unless you mean it."

"Is she back with Logan?" Piz couldn't resist asking.

"Does it matter?" Wallace demanded to know.

"No. It doesn't. I hear what you're saying; I was just wondering," Piz explained.

"I almost think you had to survive Neptune high in order to fully understand the ties that connect all of us. You unwillingness to appreciate those ties and the tragedies that touched all of us, Logan and Veronica in particular, was one of the things that doomed your relationship in my opinion," Wallace explained to him. "Logan and Veronica aren't back together right now. However, I wouldn't be surprised if they were eventually. Some things are inevitable. I've never professed to understand their relationship, but I've spent a lot of time with Logan the past few months. He doesn't give his friendship or his esteem easily, but when he does, he holds nothing back. And he has tunnel vision where Veronica is concerned. He sees only her."

Piz nodded his head in understanding but didn't comment. He got up and said, "Well, thanks, Wallace, for talking to me and giving me a chance to apologize. I hope we can hang out sometime soon. Come by the room anytime. As far as I'm concerned, it's still your place. I'll leave you to study."

Wallace told him goodbye and turned back to his books. Twenty minutes or so went by when he heard a female voice call out his name. He looked up and smiled in welcome at Jazmin. She had seen him sitting and went over to say hello. She gave him a friendly smile and said, "Well, look at you with your head buried in these books. Cute, athletic, _and_ smart! That's quite a lethal mix."

Wallace wasn't sure if she was just being friendly, joking, or actually flirting with him. But decided to say anyway, "That's right, so you better watch out or you may find yourself falling victim to my charm!"

She laughed and replied, "Sorry to say that I'm mostly immune to male charm. I have a brother who is a master charmer. But I could always use another friend. Veronica is so great that I figure if you and she are really best friends you must pretty great yourself."

"She's something alright. I'm glad she brought you around. You really bring much needed class to this place," he said smiling. "So you're from the Chicago area, right?"

"Yes, I went to a private school in , which is right north of the city. However, I lived in various parts of Chicago at one time or another," she explained.

"Hey, me, too. My dad lives there. He's a Chicago cop. I lived with him for a few months a few years ago. What do your parents do?" Wallace inquired.

Jazmin looked uncomfortable for a moment but then answered, "My dad's mostly in real estate and sales. My mom's family is into finance, wine, and banking. Not real exciting or artistic. They never really got my passion for photography."

"That's too bad. Veronica tells me you're extremely talented. Maybe you can show me some of your work sometime," Wallace offered.

"Maybe," she said, not wanting to commit after what happened when Duncan saw her pictures. "Well, I just wanted to say hello. It was so fun hanging out with you and everyone on Saturday. I'll leave you to your reading."

"Yea, it was a great time. We were really glad you came. Veronica and I especially were happy to have you on our team. You kicked some major ass, girl!"

She laughed and got up to go. "Thanks. I played a lot of sports in high school. Basketball was my specialty," she confessed.

"Really?" Wallace asked, delighted. "Hey, you should come watch me play sometime. I have a game tomorrow. It's just a scrimmage, but it starts at 7:30p.m."

"I can't this Friday. I'm having dinner with Duncan, but I'll ask him if we can maybe catch some of the second half," she offered.

Wallace was disappointed but pleased she was interested in coming at all. He said goodbye as she turned to leave. He couldn't resist watching her walk away.

The next day Veronica headed into the cafeteria to grab something to drink before her psychology class. She spotted Mac and Dick sitting close together at a table. Mac had her laptop open, and they were looking at something. Mac was smiling up at Dick while he was talking and gesturing with his hands. Veronica couldn't help but smile at the image of the two of them. They were such an unlikely pair but seemed to find a lot of pleasure in one another's company. She headed toward them to say hi.

"You are totally messed up, Dick!" Mac was saying to him. "There is no way that girl's butt deserves an 8. It's twice the size of mine!"

"Hey, the only bad ass is no ass!" Dick said, grinning at his pun.

Veronica overheard the last remark and said, "Well, I can see we're engaging in some real intellectual dialogue at this table."

Mac looked up at her and smiled. "Hey, Veronica. I was tweaking our website and Dick decides it's a good time for him to rate our latest updates. His taste leaves something to be desired." She smiled fondly at Dick.

"There's nothing wrong with my taste. You know I'd rate your ass a 10!" Dick insisted seriously. Then he grinned and said, "Say, why don't you get up and turn around just so I can be sure."

"Dick!" Mac yelled, giving him that look he loved to incite. He was not sure why it turned him on to have her yell and throw that 'what the hell are you doing?' look at him, but it did. "Smart girls are so hot!" he thought. Then he said it aloud, "Smart girls are so hot!"

Mac looked embarrassed but a bit pleased. Veronica decided to help her out. "Now behave, Dick. You know I carry my tazer with me everywhere. Quit embarrassing her! I've gotta head to class. I just wanted to say hi. Are you two going to go to Wallace's game tonight?" she asked before she walked away.

"Yes, we are," Dick answered for her.

"We are?" Mac asked, surprised. "You never told me or asked. I don't think we've been dating long enough for you to assume, Dick." She was not upset, but she wanted him to learn how to treat her from the beginning.

"My bad!" He got up and went down on one knee and gallantly grabbed her hand. Then he said with mock formality, "Mac, if you are not otherwise unoccupied this evening, would you do me the honor of accompanying me to watch tonight's basketball game where we will cheer on our good friend Wallace, and I will buy you whatever junk food you may want or not want or I will sneak in the food you do want. And at the course of the evening I promise to walk you safely back to your dorm room like a gentleman, at which point I will then endeavor to steal at least one kiss but no more than three!"

She laughed at his antics. "Get up you big goof! People are staring and will start thinking you're on one knee for a whole different reason!"

"Not until you give me your answer," he insisted grinning up at her.

"Fine. Yes, I will go with you. Now get up!" she said sternly, trying not to laugh anymore and encourage him further.

Veronica shook her head, smiling and waved goodbye. She needed to head to class. She liked to get there a bit early, so she could have a chance to talk to Logan. It had become one of the favorite things about that class, getting to chat with him. Since their talk and the cookout, things between them had been so much better than they'd been in a long time. Logan and she had mostly skipped the good friend's stage after they started getting along again in high school. Instead, they had jumped right into dating and making out. It was probably why she had always been so quick to doubt him and assume the worse. She, in turn, hadn't earned the right to expect him to always heed her advice or understand where she was coming from. She never learned to wait out his temper and instead shut down and avoided him until he'd cooled off. They never learned to talk about things like they should have. Like they probably would have if they had maintained a friendship after Lilly had died. In class, things were light and fun between them. Veronica didn't have to worry or be concerned about his anger or any awkwardness between them anymore. His snarky comments about the professor and other classmates' comments always kept her suppressing laughter. Who knew studying serial killers could be so fun?

Logan welcomed her with a smile when she came in. He broke off his conversation with Ashley to say hello. Lately, Ashley had taken to sitting on Logan's other side. Normally, Veronica would come into class to find Ashley engaging Logan in some type of conversation. Veronica worked hard to suppress her natural reaction to an attractive woman flirting with Logan. Today, she was even able to greet Ashley with a genuine smile. However, she never could bring herself to actually engage Ashley in conversation. She reminded Veronica too much of Shelly Pomrey from high school

She ignored Ashley and asked Logan, "So what did you get Lily for a christening gift?"

"I was supposed to get her a gift?" Logan asked, surprised.

"Ah, yea. It's tradition. Don't tell me the crown prince of Neptune didn't know a social rule?" Veronica mocked.

"Relax. Of course, I did. Naturally, I was just joking. I'm going to give her what all good godparents give."

"And that is?"

"Money, of course. I already wrote out the check," he said, smirking.

"Wow! How original! I'm sure she'll be touched to know you put so much thought into her gift. I'm sure the billionaire Kane's only heiress could really use the cash!" she mocked, sarcastically. She smiled and shook her head.

"Okay, smarty-pants, what did the perfect godmother get for her?" Logan asked.

"I got her a beautiful new dress with the cutest pair of shoes, some new hair ribbons, and a Leap-Frog interactive learning book for toddlers. It teaches kids how to recognize animals, colors, and household numbers," she bragged.

"Well, aren't you the godmotherest!" he teased.

She smiled smugly and said, "I know. One half of this godparent pair needs to be!"

Class soon started, so they didn't get to talk again until after class. They walked out together. They were a few feet out the door when some frat boys came around the corner and knocked into Veronica, causing her to lose her balance, drop her stuff, and fall into Logan. His arms instinctively went around her to keep her from falling. She turned to face him and smiled up at him to thank him for the quick save. However, when her eyes connected with his, the awareness between them grew. For a minute, neither could move nor speak. Logan's arms rested on her hips, and her hands were against his chest. Then Logan slowly smiled at her. Veronica's pulse raced, and she smiled back at him. Veronica wanted to make a joke and break the tension between them. But she couldn't bring herself to do either; she seemed to be caught suspended in some invisible web.

Logan, too, was having trouble focusing. It'd been a long time since he'd held Veronica in his arms. It was both familiar and foreign. He forced himself to take a step back. "I knew it wouldn't be long before you were throwing yourself at me!" he teased.

She laughed and said, "You wish. No, wait! You dream. Every night. Just admit it. There's no shame. Well, actually there is, but I won't tell."

"A gentleman never dreams and tells!" he quipped, grinning. "I only dream of bunnies and deer frolicking in grassy meadows. Never of beautiful women throwing themselves at me."

Veronica flushed at the implication that he found her beautiful and was willing to admit it so easily once again. She decided to let it slide and just smiled coyly without giving him a response. They walked amiably along. Veronica asked him what he was up to tonight. He told her that he was planning on going to the basketball game. When Veronica shared with him that she was too, they made plans to sit together at the game.

Later that evening, Veronica got to the game a bit later than she planned. When she entered the gym, she spotted Mac and Dick and saw Logan next to Dick. She headed toward them, but when she was directly in front of them on the gym floor, she noticed Ashley sitting on Logan's other side. She paused for a moment, disappointed. Then she shrugged and thought, "Whatever." Walking up the steps, she sat next to Mac. Logan noticed her and wondered why she didn't say hello to him or acknowledge him. Then he looked to his left and realized that Ashley had inched closer to him and was taking up the space he had saved for Veronica. He frowned in annoyance. Then he got up and asked Ashley to excuse him and went down the steps until he got to a walking aisle. He cut to the right and headed back up the stairs until he was back at their row except this time he was standing next to Veronica. He looked expectantly at her with a half smile; she understood his obvious hint and scooted over a bit, making more room for him.

"I thought we were sitting at the game _together_?" he asked pointedly.

She replied, "So did I. But there didn't seem to be any room next to you and your _friend_." Her head moved back toward the game letting Logan know she felt slighted.

He fought a grin and said, "Veronica, I wasn't sitting next to her. She sat near me with her friends. I hadn't realized she'd managed to take up the extra space I had saved for you."

Veronica glanced at him and shrugged not really wanting to talk about it. She didn't talk to Logan much during the remainder of the first period of the game. She pretended to be so enthralled by the basketball game that she couldn't tear her eyes off the court. Grant it, Wallace was having a good game and had scored several baskets, but Logan knew she was punishing him. After getting the cold shoulder for a whole period, Logan decided to cajole Veronica into a better mood with food. He knew she could rarely resist any culinary temptation. He went down to the snack area and got the pretzel he knew she loved, two drinks, and two hot dogs. He bribed a teenager in line to help him carry his purchases. When he got back to the seat, he said to Veronica, "I'm back. I brought snacks for us."

She looked at him and feigns indifference. "You were gone?" she said with a raised eyebrow.

"Very funny. Here, take your drink." Logan didn't give her a chance to refuse it but handed her the drink he bought for her. Then he gave her the pretzel. After thanking the boy that helped him, he turned to her and asked her if she wanted one of the hot dogs he bought.

Veronica decided to accept his peace offering and said, "I'll take one of the dogs if you eat half of the pretzel." Logan smiled at her offer and handed her the dog. She sat the pretzel on her lap after Logan handed her a napkin that he had the foresight to grab.

Just as Logan hoped, the food worked to thaw things between them. Soon Veronica was including him in her enjoyment of the game, and they were laughing and talking together.

There was a few minutes left in the first half, when the game became tied. Dick suddenly pulled out this cow bell and jumped to his feet waving it and yelling, "Come on, Fennel-o-Mello! Rip off some heads!"

Veronica and Logan laughed at Mac's attempt to get him to sit down. Dick was oblivious to her embarrassment and grabbed her arm to pull her to her feet. He generously handed her a second cow bell and said, "Don't worry Mac-attack; I got one for you, too!" He grinned and began making up a cheer. "Go Fennel! Go Fennel! Give'em Hell!" He was so loud and boisterous in his chanting that the people around him begin to pick up the chant. Laughing, Logan encouraged Veronica to join in with him. Soon the cheerleaders on the floor were cheering Dick's cheer. Mac resigned herself. She refused to chant, but she did concede to ring her cow bell. Dick grinned at her in approval.

On the floor, Wallace could not help but hear his name being branded so loudly in cheer. The other team had the ball; he glanced at the clock and saw that there was thirty seconds left in the half. He refused to go into the second half with the game tied. He stepped up his defense on the guy with the ball. Seeing an opening in the man's guard, he made a quick maneuver and snatched it from the man. Not wasting any time, he darted down the court and jumped up for a slam dunk. The audience screamed their approval at his feat. Their opponents tried to make a half court throw at the buzzer, and it missed. The crowd cheered loudly as the half ends with Hearst ahead by two.

Of course, Dick was convinced that Wallace's heroic play was all because of him. It didn't help that the people around him keep patting him on the back in congratulation like he had personally scored the points. He was very smug when they finally sit back down when the half time show began.

"See, Mac, it worked! And you were trying to get me to shut up!" Dick exclaimed, grinning like a fool.

"Oh, you noticed?" she asked, smiling. "I guess you aren't as clueless as you pretend to be, huh?"

He leaned toward her as if confessing a secret. "Don't tell anyone. I got an image to protect after all."

When she laughed in response, he threw his arm companionably around her and gave her a quick kiss. He asked her if she wanted anything to drink or eat. Mac said yes. Dick offered to go get her something, but Mac wanted to stretch her legs and got up to go with him.

Veronica watched them leave and turned to Logan and asked, "What do you think about Dick and Mac dating?"

"I think it's great." Logan told her. "I talked to Dick; he's not screwing around. He's not dated anyone in months, so I know he's not taking it lightly."

Veronica said, "I hope so. I just can't see him as being the guy for Mac. They're so different. And he's a lot more experienced than she is. But relationship-wise he's a novice."

"I think the fact that they are so different is why it might work," Logan responded. "She can be too serious some time, and Dick makes her laugh. And Dick has never cared what anyone thinks the way he does with Mac. I think he's already in love with her."

"Really? Do you think so?" Veronica asked in surprise.

"Well, I've never seen him this way before. Mac gets to him like no woman ever has. He's nuts about her. If he's not in love with her, he will be before too long. I just hope she doesn't break _his_ heart," Logan said.

"Mac has been hurt too much to be insensitive to Dick's feelings," Veronica told him in defense of her friend.

"Just because a person's been hurt in the past doesn't mean they won't hurt someone in the future," Logan argued, thinking about Veronica and how she had hurt him more than once.

Veronica seemed to know what he was thinking and gave him a sad look. Nothing was said for a few minutes. Then she said, "You know Dick apologized to me last Saturday at the cookout."

"He did? About what?" Logan asked.

"About what his brother did to me. Not on the roof top, but specifically about the night of Shelly's party. He blamed himself for what happened because he was the one who left me with Cassidy," Veronica explained.

Logan didn't like that reminder. Dick's hand in what happened to her was not something he liked to reflect on. A part of him wanted to lash out at Dick over the events, but the bigger part of him felt that Logan was mostly to blame. After all, it was because of him that any of them felt it was okay to make her an object of ridicule. Logan knew Dick better than anyone did, though, and he honestly didn't believe Dick had real hate or malice inside of him. He knew that Dick would never truly want anyone to be violated that way. His belief in the innate goodness of Dick was what allowed him to not blame Dick for the events of that night. Dick's willingness to finally speak of the night with Veronica and apologize for his role is further proof to Logan that his faith in his friend was justified.

"I'm glad that he did. He's been introspective-man lately. Beav's death really rattled his foundation. He's been starting to question a lot of things about himself and thinking about the type of man he wants to be. It's because he's doing that that I am convinced he'll do everything he can to make things work with Mac. I don't think we need to worry. At least not now," Logan stated.

"I hope you're right," Veronica said.

Just as the second half was about to start, Mac and Dick made it back to their seats. Dick was really excited about something. Veronica asked Mac what's up with Dick. She told them that a cheerleader approached Dick wanting to know if he was the one who had originated the cheer during the end of the half. When Dick proudly acknowledged his role, she told him that they have been looking for a back up mascot for the school. She wondered if Dick would be interested in it. He wouldn't be expected to do all games or all sports. However, he'd be a relief for the current mascot and could perform games that work for him. Naturally, Dick was ecstatic and flattered at the cheerleader's attention and offer. He told the girl that he'd come by sometime soon and watch them practice and see what all he'd have to do. Mac was a bit disturbed by the idea of Dick as a mascot because it was so unexpected and strange. However, Dick's pleasure and enthusiasm at the idea soon convinced her that she must relax about it. Thinking about his fraternity, she figured it was an improvement over his extracurricular activities last year.

Outside the gym were Duncan and Jazmin. They had wrapped up a very nice dinner, both having loved getting to know one another more. They had enjoyed laughing and talking over their meal about the stories they had shared. After dinner, Duncan had been willing to come watch the last part of the game. He had been promising Wallace he'd come sometime to see him play. Jazmin's suggestion seemed like a good idea. He liked seeing her interact with his friends. When he and Veronica had last dated in high school, it had fractured his group of friends and divided him and Logan further. Dating someone who got along with his friends wasn't a requirement, but it was something that pleased him. Her enjoyment of the cookout was obvious to Duncan. She seemed to fit in well with his friends. Jazmin's obvious ease with anyone and any situation convinced Duncan further that she had a wealthy background and traveled extensively. Even though they had talked a lot at dinner, she seemed a bit cagey about sharing personal details. Having dated Veronica and Meg, Duncan was used to women that didn't feel the need to share everything. Duncan kind of liked the mystery of her.

They walked up to the doors of the gym but before Jazmin opened the door, Duncan stopped her. "I think I want to get something done first before we go in," he said as he moved closer and put his hands on her shoulder. Jazmin quickly discerned his intent and put her arms around his waist, welcoming their first kiss.

His lips touched hers softly at first. But soon she opened her mouth in acceptance of his tongue, giving him permission to take it up a notch. Duncan didn't hesitate but kissed her thoroughly. She was so beautiful and exciting; her lips seemed to be the sweetest thing he'd tasted in a long time. Her hands at his waist curled and tightened in response to the pleasure of his kiss. Before things became too heated, Duncan gentled the kiss and slowly pulled back. He looked her in the eyes and smiled. Jazmin gave him back an answering smile of approval. Wordlessly they joined hands and entered the gym, both quite pleased with their second date so far.

After the game, everyone waited for Wallace to come out of the locker room so that they could congratulate him on his great game. Hearst had managed to win by eight points. It had been an exciting and close game. Wallace was pleasantly surprised to see all of his friends waiting for him when he came out of the locker room, especially Jazmin and Duncan. Although he did note they were holding hands, he was mostly pleased they took time out of their date to watch him.

"Congrats, Wally-World! You totally kicked ass!" Dick exclaimed, giving him a high five the moment he reached them. "Did you hear my cheer?"

"That was your doing?" Wallace asked, surprised. When Dick just grinned and Logan laughed, he said, "Wow! I'm impressed, Dick."

Duncan asked what they'd miss, and Dick gleefully gave him and Jazmin a play by play, including the offer for him to be the next mascot.

"_Relief _mascot!" Mac corrected him.

"Same dif," he stated, smugly. Then he put an arm around Mac and said with pompous arrogance, "You better hurry, Mac, and snatch me off the market 'cause soon I'm going to be one hot commodity. I'll be fighting them off with a stick when all the girls in this school get a load of me, unplugged _and_ told to let loose and entertain! Just imagine!"

"I am. Believe me! The sight may call for a stick, but I'm not sure you'll be using it to beat back the babes. Maybe defend yourself for violating the sacred office of school mascot!" Mac teased.

Wallace laughed at the two of them. Then he turned to Duncan and Jazmin. "Thanks guys for taking time to catch some of my game. It means a lot."

"You were really impressive," Jazmin told him, smiling. "I was particularly impressed that a guy of your height could do so well against bigger opponents."

"What I lack in height I make up for in speed, agility, and just plain talent!" Wallace boasted.

Logan laughed and said, "Okay, we need to take this party somewhere else before it gets too deep in here to walk!"

"I want ice cream!" Veronica insisted.

"Oh, you do, huh? Why doesn't that surprise me?" Logan asked, grinning down at the pixie girl standing next to him. Mac and Jazmin quickly echoed her desire and everyone agreed to head to the nearest ice cream place.

They decided to take two vehicles. Wallace rode with Duncan and Jazmin, leaving Dick and Mac to ride with Logan and Veronica. Veronica couldn't help but be pleased at the turn of events. Not only had the game been a lot of fun, but she was excited that she could both spend more time with Logan and all her friends. This was what she had always thought college would be about. Last year there hadn't been many similar memories. Veronica made a vow to herself that she would do everything she could to make sure that this school year was full of such good times.

_I know that this chapter wasn't particularly exciting, but I hope you found it fun. Oh, and sorry for bringing back Piz. However, I needed to because I've got to get Wallace back in the dorms. The reasons for that will be apparent in sequel. Forgive me all you Piz-haters! I won't inflict him too much! _


	21. Chapter 21

**I apologize in advance if I got any important details of a christening/baptism wrong. I did research it, but I'm evangelical and have never attended one. Of course, I took some creative licenses because this chapter is crucial to the LoVe reunion. **

Chapter 20: The Christening

Wallace entered the church and immediately spotted Duncan with Lily in his arms looking absolutely adorable. She had on a white dress with matching white shoes and ankle socks with pink trim. On her head rested a white head band with a pale pink bow. He headed toward them.

"Hey, Duncan," he said briefly as he focused his attention on the child in Duncan's arms. "Hi, sweetie! You want to come to Uncle Wallace and give me a kiss?" Lily grinned at him and reached her arms out to him. Duncan smiled and handed her off to Wallace.

"Are you going to say hi to me?" Wallace asked Lily, lifting her up higher in his arms until she was eye level.

She patted his cheek and said, "Hi, Wallo!" She could not yet say Wallace and had heard Dick calling him that once and had called him that ever since. Wallace was just glad she hadn't picked up on any other of the various versions of his name Dick seemed to be forever inventing. He had given up early on trying to get Dick to quit. He simply was not capable of calling anyone by their given name if a funnier or cutsie version could be unveiled. Since Dick was completely immune to ridicule himself and sarcasm was wasted on him, Wallace had decided it was a losing battle. Logan was the only one Dick never made up nicknames for. Probably because he was not as dumb as he sometimes acted. Wallace also knew that coming from Dick the nicknames were a sign of affection, so he tried not to take offense.

"Is she ready for her big moment?" he asked Duncan.

Duncan smiled and told Wallace that he hoped so. They had explained to her what would happen today. Since she was older than most who were baptized for the first time, the priest had talked with her earlier and had spent some time with her that way she wouldn't be scared of him or the ceremony. Duncan had told her also that morning when he was getting her dressed what would happen and had sprinkled water on her in the tub, so she would be somewhat prepared-as prepared as a two year could be. She was highly intelligent and inquisitive for a child her age, so Duncan was not completely sure how she would react. Even though she was not yet three, she seemed to forever want to know things. She never failed to surprise and amaze him.

Wallace grinned at her after hearing Duncan's explanation and repeated the question, "Are you ready for your special moment?"

She answered clearly, "I weady!"

They both laughed. Then Wallace looked at Duncan to inquire, "Did Jazmin make it yet?"

Duncan frowned and said, "She's not coming."

Wallace was surprised. "Really? I figured she'd be here. Girls really dig this kind of thing, and you two seemed pretty tight last night."

"Yea, we've had a good time the two times we went out. But she told me that she thought it was a bit early for her to be joining me for such a private event. I tried to convince her otherwise, but she was adamant. I really like her, but I don't know. Sometimes I see this odd look in her eyes when I talk about Lily. Of course, she seemed fine about Lily at the cookout and played with her very naturally. But I don't know. It's weird, right?" Duncan wondered to Wallace.

"Well, I wouldn't worry, man. She's probably just not ready to deal with meeting your parents," he offered.

"Maybe. I didn't think of that. I hope you're right," Duncan responded, glad to have another explanation that fit.

"I'm sure that's all there is to it. You'll see. Is it okay if I take Lily for a bit? How much time before the service starts? I see my mom over there with Keith, and I know she'll want to see Lily before it starts," Wallace told him.

"Sure, dude. We have some time. This is a small, informal gathering, so we'll start when everyone gets here. Logan and Veronica aren't here yet, but they were here earlier talking with the priest so that they'd know what to do. We'll be able to get started as soon as they get here."

Wallace headed toward his mom, pleased to see how happy she looked sitting next to Keith. His mom would not say much when he'd asked her about things with Keith. She had just smiled and said that they were getting to know one another again. He hoped that things finally worked out between them this time. His mom deserved someone like Keith. Keith would always treat her right and watch out for her. Wallace wouldn't have to worry about a repeat of the whole Roger thing.

Outside the church, Dick and Logan were getting out of Dick's truck just as Veronica pulled in with Mac. Logan and Veronica had already been at the church once a few hours earlier, discussing the specifics of their required responses with the priest. They waited for the ladies to get out of the car before heading into the church. When they did get out, Dick let out a loud wolf whistle after he got a look at them all dressed up. Mac was actually wearing a very flattering dark blue dress. Dick couldn't really remember the last time he saw her in a dress.

"Wow! You ladies are lookin' smokin' today! I'm not sure you're allowed to go into a church lookin' so fine!" Dick exclaimed, grinning. They smiled back at him and said hello to both of them. Dick added, "It's probably a sin."

Mac replied, "Don't you mean it's a sin to have the thoughts you are probably having right now?" Dick grinned at how well she already knew him and kissed her cheek. He took her hand, and they headed toward the church.

Logan had not yet said anything because he was really affected by Veronica's appearance and was trying to gain control before he went into the church and got struck by lightning. Veronica had on this virginal looking pale, pink summer dress that made him want to do naughty things to her. He knew from personal experience that she was anything but virginal and innocent and seeing her dressed up as both was an incredible turn on for him.

Veronica was beginning to feel a bit awkward as Logan continued to pierce her with a silent stare. She finally asked, "Uh, do I look okay? Is something wrong?"

Logan shook himself out of his stupor and gave her a heated look. "I hate to agree with Dick, but you _are_ looking particularly fetching today, Miss Mars, all sweet and innocent like. It caught me off guard for a minute there." He flashed a slow grin that wreaked havoc on Veronica's own nerves. Her belly rolled, and she smiled back at him, pleased with his response. She recalled him one time confessing that when he had first met her as a young teen she had been wearing knee socks and shorts. He had found her innocent look to be very hot. Lilly had teased him for his confession, but Veronica had been secretly flattered.

When Duncan saw them enter, he waved in greeting. They walked to him. He took them into the sanctuary, a place they had not yet been to. He showed them where they would sit until the priest called them up. The three of them would be with Lily and the priest in front of everyone for most of the ceremony. Duncan excused himself to go find his parents and the minister while Logan and Veronica said hello to her dad and Alicia.

When Lily saw Logan she shouted out, "Logie!" and demanded that he pick her up. He grinned at her bossiness and complied with her demand.

Veronica kissed her cheek and told her how pretty she looked. She preened and smiled. Veronica looked around to see who all was here. Duncan hadn't invited anyone else, but his parents had invited a few friends and close relatives. Veronica was a bit surprised to see Clarence Weidman in the back of the church sitting like a guest and not standing guard. When she said something about his presence to Logan, he looked up from Lily and said, "DK probably invited him."

"Duncan? Why? He's Jake's hired thug, not Duncan's," Veronica inquired, surprised at Logan's statement.

"Well, actually he's the Kane family's head of security and someone Duncan trusts explicitly. Who do you think helped us run Gory out of town?" Logan said matter-of-factly.

Veronica was disturbed at what Logan's implying. She had somehow put Gory completely out of her mind. She'd never even gotten around to strong arming Dick into giving her all the details. If she had known Weidman had been involved, she probably would have made it a priority. This semester she'd managed to focus more on her personal life for once rather than intrigue. However, she was still susceptible to a mystery. But Veronica knew that now was not the time to address the issue. She and Logan took Lily to the front so that the service could begin.

They don't have to wait long. The priest entered and opened the service with a prayer. Then he indicated with a gesture that they should come forward to begin the ceremony. Duncan had Lily in his arms.

He smiled and said, "Today is a very happy and blessed occasion as the family and friends of the Kane's join together to welcome this dear child into the kingdom of God. Duncan Kane is here to have his daughter, Lily, baptized as our Lord Jesus Christ commands. He has asked his two friends Logan Echolls and Veronica Mars to stand in as godparents to Lily."

At this point Lily, upon hearing the priest name her second favorite guy said loudly, "Logie!" She reached for him. She and Duncan were standing on the priest's right and Veronica and Logan were on his left. When Duncan tried to get her to be quiet, she refused and demanded again to go to Logan. Everyone laughed. Logan quickly moved to Duncan's side and grabbed her from Duncan's arms. He gave her a quick kiss and told her to be quiet by placing his finger on his own lips and saying "sshh" very softly to her. She smiled happily at him. Like her namesake, she expected her demands to be met instantly and usually was really sweet once she was given her way.

The priest waited patiently and smiled when Lily seemed content again. Logan was now on the priest's right, directly across from Veronica.

The priest began speaking again. "In the tradition of the church, the role of godparents is an important one. The godparents stand in for the child who is unable to understand the significance of the baptism. They represent her and make commitments on her behalf. I have spoken at length to both Logan and Veronica and know that they understand the importance of their role." He then started to speak directly to Logan and Veronica. "Logan and Veronica, by agreeing to be godparents you are not making a legal commitment but a spiritual one. You are agreeing to stand united together before God and everyone here as Lily's spiritual guide and mentor. You will watch over and guide her all the days of her life. The two of you, along with Duncan, will be joined together with Lily with bonds that only death can break."

As the minister said these words, Logan and Veronica locked eyes. The connection that had been building between them the past few weeks intensified. Neither was able to look away.

Then the priest said to them, "Father and godparents, the church receives Lily Megan Kane with joy today. We are trusting God for her growth in faith. Will you pray for her, lead her by your example, and walk with her in the ways of Christ?"

Duncan, Veronica, and Logan both answered with the required response, "With the help of God, we will."

"In baptism, Lily's journey of faith is made public. Father and godparents, will you care for her and help her to take her place within the life and body of the church?"

Logan tore his gaze from Veronica to the priest and echoed with her and Duncan, "With the help of God, we will."

Then the priest said to the audience, "Family and friends, will you welcome her and uphold her in her life in Christ?" Everyone said together, "We will."

At that point, the minister took Lily, who smiled at his attention, into his arms. He smiled back down at her. She was happy for the attention of someone new, but she then looked out into the audience from her new angle. She spotted Dick and inevitably shouted out, "Dick! Dick, come play!" Lily thought the ceremony was an elaborate play time. The audience laughed.

Mac whispered to Dick to make it clear to Lily that now was not the time. He fought his grin and shook his head at Lily. She frowned as his refusal to honor her demand. It rarely happened. Since coming to Neptune, she had quickly grown accustomed to having so many adults willing to give her their undivided attention.

Duncan told Lily that Dick would play with her later after they finish praying for her and if she wouldn't be quiet Duncan would make Dick leave. She frowned unhappily up at her daddy but didn't say anything.

The priest smiled and told her that they were almost done. He reminded her about what he told her earlier about feeling a few wet splashes on her face. She looked at him, remembering what her daddy told her earlier and said, "Kisses from God!" He smiled along with all who heard her explanation. "Yes, Lily, God is kissing you." He moved her to his left arm and said to her, "God loves you, Lily, and is happy you are His child."

Lily looked confused and declared, "I love God, but I Daddy's girl!"

The priest patiently explained, "Yes, you are your daddy's child but God made you and your daddy, and we all belong to Him first."

"Okay," she responded sweetly, easily willing to believe his explanation.

Again the audience laughed at her simple acceptance of such a profound spiritual truth.

"In the name of Christ, I christen you Lily Megan Kane." He sprinkled the holy water on her in a few gentle drops. Lily closed her eyes and smiled in acceptance of this kiss from God. "I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. You now belong to Him as well as to your daddy and will be welcomed with open arms into His kingdom in heaven."

Lily again broke the solemnity of the moment by clapping her hands with joy and declaring, "We go to 'eaven, Daddy! We see Mommy!" Duncan smiled at his daughter's innocent enthusiasm and took her from the priest. He had to blink back the sudden rush of tears that threatened at the thought of her missing mommy. He knew that Meg would've wanted her to be christened. He liked to image that she was watching them. If there had been anyone in his life deserving of heaven, it was her.

While the priest said the final blessing, ending the ceremony, Logan and Veronica found themselves once again gazing judiciously at one another. Veronica was feeling both vulnerable and emotional. She wasn't sure what was happening between them but something powerful had occurred during the service. Not even Lily's antics had been able to pull their attention away from each other. Veronica knew they were here for Lily, and it was all about her. However, when the priest began describing the godparent role something shifted between them. It was like his words took on a deeper meaning for them. When he said that they would be bound together with Lily, it felt to Veronica as if a thousand invisible silken threads had came out of her and reached across to Logan, tying her to him in a way she had never imagined or experienced before. It left her unsettled and filled her with longing. She knew somehow that Logan was feeling the same thing and nothing between them would ever be the same.

Veronica offered Logan a smile filled with her building joy and certainty. He didn't smile back, but his gaze intensified. When the minister finished and closed the ceremony, Logan turned from her finally after giving her a heated glance. Her body responded instantly at his regard; she hadn't seen him look at her in that way in a while. Remembering where she was at, she tried to get herself under control.

Duncan put down Lily, who immediately ran toward Dick and Mac. Veronica noticed that Jake and Celeste seemed a little put out at her actions, having expected Lily to go directly to them. Veronica knew that they loved Lily and were happy Duncan was home. But they didn't seem to get the fact that a toddler responded to attention and affection. Duncan's friends lavished her with both while his parents weren't made to be so demonstrative. However, Veronica could not seem to find much compassion for them. A part of her still blamed them for what happened to their daughter. If Celeste had not been so critical and Jake hadn't given Duncan all of his attention, Lilly wouldn't have felt so driven to find it elsewhere. She wouldn't have strove to find new ways to torment Celeste with inappropriate men. Veronica was convinced that sleeping with Aaron had never been about hurting Logan, but it had been about shocking and upsetting her mother as well as the thrill of the popular start wanting her.

The rest of the afternoon passed quickly. The Kanes had invited everyone back to their place for a reception for Lily. It was there that they would have her open some of her christening gifts. It wasn't necessarily tradition. But since she was older than most children who were christened, Duncan had figured it would be fine. Besides he had gotten a promise of good behavior from her with the lure of the gifts as a reward. Since she was finally at the age where she could open gifts on her own, receiving and opening them was something she looked forward to.

Everyone had a great time watching Lily opening her gifts. The pleasure she got in just tearing off the wrapper was so much fun to see. One of her favorite gifts, of course, was from Dick. It was one of those half horses that made obnoxious neighing sounds. It had a horse's head but a broom handle end, so she could pretend to ride it. Of course, Dick had a good time demonstrating how it worked. Duncan laughed good-naturedly but insisted that it would be a toy that would stay at the beach house with Dick. He told Lily that she could play with it every time she went to visit him. He looked pointedly at Dick while he was saying this to her, but Dick just grinned. Since she had other gifts to open, she was soon distracted.

After the gift opening, Veronica kept trying to get Logan alone so that they could talk. She was hoping that he'd be willing to discuss what had happened between them during the christening. However, he seemed to be deep in conversation with someone every time she was free to talk with him. It was frustrating. She was finally ready to let him know that she wasn't satisfied with just being a casual part of his life anymore. She no longer wanted to be just friends. Veronica wanted more; no, she needed more. It looked like her talk with him, though, would have to wait for another day. Logan managed to leave the Kane's without even saying goodbye. Veronica did not know what to think about that. It wasn't like him. Eventually, though, she would track him down and have a much needed conversation.

As for Logan, he did purposely sneak out of Duncan's without saying goodbye to Veronica. He wasn't proud of his cowardice, but he recognized the look she'd been giving him all afternoon. The one that let him know she was determined to either have her way with him or have a heart to heart or both. None of those options were any Logan was ready to face right then. He was not sure what happened during the baptism, but he knew he needed some time to process it.

He and Veronica hadn't been in a church together since Lilly's funeral. When they'd met with the priest to go over their role, they had met him in his offices. The sanctuary had a completely different feel. Logan wasn't particularly religious. Not counting weddings and funerals, he could probably count on one hand how many times he'd been to church in his entire life. However, today facing Veronica, something happened that was out of his realm of experiences. As the priest spoke of him and Veronica being connected in their role as godparents before God for the rest of their lives, Logan felt something that shook him to his core. He did not even know if he could put what he'd experienced into words. He had never really thought much about whether or not God existed. Mostly because he did not know how to place a loving God within the nightmare of his home life as a child, nor in all the things that had happened to him in high school.

But today when he was standing with Veronica in front of the minister and all of their friends, he felt something that was entirely new. It was something that he had not been expecting or prepared for. It was as if a presence was there between him and Veronica joining them together in a way he'd never imagined. Although Logan had always believed that he and Veronica were destined to be together, he had not thought of their bond as something that was God ordained. Maybe what he thought he experienced was due to being in a church with Veronica. Maybe it was just due to being in a church and having a man of the cloth speak words binding them together in some way. Or maybe it was Logan's fanciful imagination. He did not know.

What he did know was that as he was standing there looking at Veronica, he was unable to look away. He had gotten used to suppressing what he felt for her. Surprisingly, at that moment looking across at her, he seemed helpless to dampen down his emotions. Like a wave, all of his love, desire, and longing that he felt for her rose up inside of him. It had been all he could do just to keep from reaching out and grabbing a hold of her. Lily's antics served to remind him where he was at and what he was supposed to be doing.

Nevertheless, he had been powerless to turn away from Veronica because he could see mirrored in her eyes for the first time an echo of what he was feeling. For once she had given him a completely unguarded look. Naked emotion was reflected in her eyes for him to see. Without her saying a word to him, Logan knew without a doubt in that moment that Veronica Mars loved him deeply. She loved him the way a woman loved the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. She loved him the way he had always loved her; the way he never truly believed she did. The certainty of that knowledge left him reeling. It was like the world had temporarily slipped of its axis, and Logan was left spinning. On one hand, his new awareness of her and what she felt for him filled him with deep and abiding joy. All the dead places inside of him seemed to come alive all at once. He felt so many things; emotions were coursing through him looking for an outlet. Normally, he would grab Veronica and give them both the outlet they needed.

However, Logan found himself hesitating. The new assurance of her feelings for him also filled him with fear and a touch of dread. For the first time, he knew that everything he wanted was within his grasp. Rarely, though, did things work out for Logan the way he wanted or planned. He knew that if he grabbed hold of both Veronica and the opportunity in front of him to build something real and lasting, that things could fall apart like so many things in his life inevitably did. Loving her and losing her was one thing. But Logan knew that if he lost her after knowing she loved him just as much as he loved her, he would never survive the loss. This time he would not be able to hold back anything from her. If she walked away some day down the road like she always did, he would be left broken beyond repair.

Logan wanted her and the chance to build a life with her so much. He hated how weak he was. He hated that he knew without a doubt that she was crucial to his future happiness. Although Logan wanted to be happy, and he wanted the life he knew they could have together, he felt so unsure. He did not know if he had it in him to risk everything because this time it would _require_ everything. He would have to give every part of himself, which would leave him with only whatever part of Veronica she was willing to surrender. Was she really finally ready to tear away the mask and everything else she consistently kept in front of her in order to keep him at a distance? Was Logan ready to gamble with everything he had that she was?


	22. Chapter 22

**Warning: This chapter does contain some adult content. I hope it's not too shocking, but I've read some pretty steamy stuff on this site so I doubt it will be! Rated M for Mature.**

Chapter 21: Finally LoVe

The following Monday Veronica overslept because she'd been unable to fall asleep until really late. Logan didn't return any of her phone calls on Sunday, and when she'd even went so far as to go by his house, Dick told her he'd gone surfing. Veronica did not know whether to be hurt at his avoidance or angry. Wrestling with it had kept her up all night. The result of which inevitably caused her to oversleep and arrive on campus too late for her psychology class-the one class she'd be guaranteed to see Logan in!

When she got to campus, she decided to see if she could find him at the food court. As she went in and scanned the room for him, she was soon frozen in place. She spotted Logan at a table eating with Ashley. He was smiling at her, and Ashley had her hand on his arm. For a moment, Veronica couldn't breathe because she was so disappointed. She wanted to storm over there and make it clear to Ashley that Logan was hers and Ashley needed to back off. Veronica took a step toward them to do exactly that when she realized that she couldn't. She gave up that right over six months ago and had not yet gotten it back. Resigning herself to putting off their talk yet again, she left.

Two days later, she headed into class hoping to connect finally with Logan. Unfortunately, she did not beat him to class, and when she entered she found him once again engaged in conversation with Ashley and Trisha. Trisha was sitting behind Ashley, who was in her customary seat next to Logan. From across the room, it was clear to Veronica that Logan wasn't at all trying to fight off their attention. She took her usual seat on the other side of Logan. Veronica was annoyed to see that he was so engaged with his bimbos that for once he failed to even notice her take her seat.

When the professor started class, Logan looked over in surprise to see Veronica sitting next to him. He offered her a smile in greeting. She didn't return the smile and looked at him in annoyance. It was a familiar expression but one Logan has not seen directed at him in a while. He had forgotten how frustrating it was to have her upset with him and not know why.

After class Veronica quickly left without talking to Logan. Her hurt warred with her anger. She knew she needed to talk to him and not avoid him. However, she was too upset right now. He'd been ignoring her for days after experiencing something powerful between them. She refused to believe it was one sided. Veronica knew that Ashley and Trisha meant nothing to Logan, but with things unsettled between them, it bothered her more than it would normally. No, she was not going to let him get away with ignoring her and then flirting with other girls. She was done waiting and had no patience for more words. It was best to confront him away from campus anyway. Before this day was over, Veronica promised herself, she would have things settled with him one way or another.

Logan got up to follow Veronica out, determined to discover why she was upset with him. Unfortunately, he was stopped by Ashley, and when he'd managed to get away from her, Veronica was gone.

Several hours later, Veronica was ready to track down Logan and have it out with him. She had talked to Dick, who came over to their place, and knew Logan was at home. Dick said that when he had left Logan was in his room.

She stormed into his house looking for him. She found him on his bed reading. She slammed his bedroom door as he sat up in surprise.

"That's it! I can't take it anymore!" she exclaimed in frustration.

"What? What's wrong?" he asked standing up in concern.

"This isn't working!" she told him as she threw down her purse.

"What's not working?" Logan asked in confusion.

"This. Us!" she said gesturing between them. "I can't take it!" she insisted.

"What do you mean?" Logan inquired, trying not to get upset or jump to conclusions.

"I don't want to be friends!" she said adamantly.

"What?" he asked in shock.

"I mean I don't want to be _just_ friends. I don't want to do it anymore! Being friends! Taking it slow! We're not built that way! _I'm_ not built that way. At least not with you! It's making me nuts!" she insisted.

"Really?" he said, pleasantly surprised. "Why is that?"

"Because…" she stopped, not sure if she's ready to admit her jealousy. She took a deep breath and said, "Okay, I admit I can't stand to see you talk to other girls when I have no right to claim you as mine. It's making me jealous and obsessive."

Logan grinned widely at her admittance. She gave him a dirty look. "Yea, go ahead and grin. You're behavior the past few days is making it worse. You've been running and avoiding me since Lily's christening. What gives?" she demanded.

"Nothing. I don't know what you're talking about," Logan proclaimed evasively.

"Yes, you do! You and I both felt something change during the christening, and you know it! I know you, Logan Echolls. You can't run from me, and you can't hide. Not from me and not anymore," she informed as she crossed her arms in determination.

"Is that right?" he asked, relaxing in resignation. He was finally ready to give into temptation.

"That's right. So no more talking. No more waiting! Just kiss me already!" she demanded.

"Well, aren't we a bossy bit of goods today!" he said laughing at her unusual forthrightness.

"Shut up already and kiss me! I love you, you big idiot! Are you happy? I'm not afraid to say it anymore! Do you hear me? I love you, and I know you love me!" When he did not saying anything but stared at her in surprise, she said, "Screw it!" and threw her arms around him, dragging his mouth down to hers.

As soon as her lips touch his, Logan was loosened from whatever temporary paralysis that had held him momentarily immobile. He opened his mouth, allowing her tongue to duel with his, his arms tightening around her, holding her tight. The kiss continued between them going on and on, fueled by frustration, long held desire, and-most importantly-love.

Logan pulled away to take a breath and looked at her intently. "Are you sure?" he asked.

She smiled confidently. "I'm sure."

"There's no going back. You can't take it back or change your mind later. I'll never let you go again," he insisted adamantly, wanting her to understand how crucial it was that she knew what she wanted.

She placed her hand on his face, willing him to see every part of her that she'd been holding back. "I don't want to go back. I don't want to slow down. This is what I want. You, Logan. It's always been you. I don't want us to be a part anymore. I can't take it."

He grinned; his face reflecting the joy that filled him so completely. Before when they were together, he was happy but never settled, never secure. He was always afraid to enjoy his happiness too much, fearing it would be fleeting. Now he knew it was okay to let go. He believed she was finally ready. She knew what she wanted, and what she finally wanted was him. There had never been any question really about what he wanted. He had just wanted her to want him as much as he wanted her. Now she was here telling him she did.

He reached down to embrace her again, relishing in the fact that finally Veronica Mars was his again. Their mouths fused together as their hunger and need for one another grew and consumed them both. He lifted her up so that her legs were wrapped around him. Their lips separated for a moment as they pull much needed air into their lungs.

Their eyes met. They both saw clearly the love and happiness they felt in that moment mirrored in each other's eyes.

Logan's smile widened as he walked her backwards a few steps to brace her against his bedroom door. He placed his lips on hers and began to kiss her again and again, determined to make up for all the time they had lost while apart. He moved his mouth down and kissed her neck. She tilted her head, loving the feel of his mouth once again moving upon her neck.

He kissed his way back up to her mouth again. Then he placed a soft kiss on her lips and pulled back. Her feet slid down to the floor as she looked up at him; her eyes locked with his.

"Veronica Mars," he said as he kissed her left cheek. "I am so," he kissed her right cheek, "completely" he placed his lips gently on hers, "and hopelessly," he said and looked at her intently, "in love with you." Then he placed another soft kiss on her lips and looked at her once again, wanting her to comprehend the magnitude of his commitment to this moment and to them. He bended down once again and said softly against her lips, "Always."

Veronica smiled in agreement. "Forever," she said back to him.

"Forever," he agreed as he placed a quick kiss on her lips. Then he took a step back and pulled off his shirt with a grin.

She smiled back at him as she began taking off her own clothes. When she was standing naked before him, she did not seek to cover herself. She was done hiding any part of herself from him.

His eyes scanned her flawless body. He looked at her with a hot gaze that was filled equally with lust and love. The heat of his look gave Veronica the extra boost of confidence she needed. She grinned and jumped on him. He caught her and fell back onto his bed. Veronica kissed him, putting all of her desire and love for him into her kiss. Soon they both realized that neither wanted to waste much time on foreplay. She rose up and demanded, "I want you inside of me now!"

He grinned and flipped her onto her back, changing positions. "Oh, you do, do you? I think I can arrange that." He paused and asked, "Are you still on birth control?"

"Yes," she said. "But I haven't been with anyone since we broke up. You know Piz and I never got even this far, right?"

"I know," he answered. "There's been no one since you either."

"Really?" she asked, somewhat surprised he'd gone so long without sex. It was not normal for him.

"Parker and I broke up before that point. And after that, I realized I really didn't want to be with anyone but you. I hadn't given up yet that it was over. After what had happened before the last time when we'd broken up, I was determined to not make the same mistake," he explained.

His confession brought out so much emotion in Veronica. She didn't think it was possible to love him any more than she already did. However, at that moment, after hearing he had been waiting for her in every way and believing in the two of them, her love deepened and seemed to fill every part of her. His continual faith in the two of them overwhelmed her. She knew that she didn't deserve his devotion, but she was grateful to have it anyway. Veronica silently promised herself that she wouldn't let him down again.

She smiled, forcing back the tears that threatened. She lifted her hand to caress his face and said, "I am so in love with you, Logan Echolls."

The ease in which she was finally able to say it brings healing to them both. His gaze became even hotter as he looked down at her and said, "I love you, too." Then he bent down and sealed their declaration with a kiss.

It was not long before their kisses became so impassioned that they could not wait any longer. They were both desperate to cement the bond between them by becoming as close as possible. Logan slipped inside of her and began to move. Both of them were keeping their eyes on one another, each wanting to see the bond between them strengthen even further. Logan grabbed her hands and placed them above her head, threading her fingers with his.

Veronica had no words to describe how having him inside of her again felt. She was determined to keep her eyes open so that their connection could be maintained. Too much time had passed since they'd been together this way. She'd almost forgotten what it felt like to be so close to him. To have him moving inside of her.

Logan had been without her so long that he knew he would not last long. He was determined she reach fulfillment before he was done. He reached down and touched the spot inside of her that he knew would push her even higher. His touch quickly became too much, and she could no longer keep her eyes open. She moaned his name. Logan increased his pace and soon they both reached toward their climax. As it peaked, Veronica again found his gaze with her own.

"I love you!"

"I love you!" they said at the same time.

_I hope I'm hearing a satisfied sigh and this was everything you've been waiting for. For those of you wondering about the issues between them still, don't worry. The next chapter is entitled "Pillow Talk" and it will address everything. I felt that joining them together before working out every angle was more typical of the two of them, and it felt right! Since this is my first story, it is most DEFINITELY my first love scene. I hope I didn't blow it! :) Thanks so much for those who reviewed the last chapter! I'm out of my comfort zone with this one and the next, so take pity and review please!_


	23. Chapter 23

**If the last chapter was rated PG-13, then this one would probably be rate R or more for a short scene toward the end. I kicked it up a notch because it seemed very appropriate. Enjoy! I think you'll get your LoVe fix with this chapter.**

Chapter 22: Pillow Talk

The next evening Dick was standing outside Logan's door snickering. Wallace saw him and yelled, "That ain't right, man! Get away from that door!"

Dick grinned and said, "Dude, they haven't come up for air all day! They've been in there since yesterday. I saw Logan once head to the kitchen. I've not laid eyes on Veronica. The only reason I know it's her in there with him is because of the look on his face when he came out of the room. Well, also Mac told me she received a text late last night from Veronica telling her not to worry that she was with Logan."

"Don't even go there, Dick! I cannot handle the mental image of my B.F.F. doing the tango with Logan." He shuddered.

"Well, you know they've gotten vertical before, so what's the difference?" Dick asked, not understanding why Wallace was so freaked.

"The difference is I was never in the same house when they were doing it! I could pretend they weren't!" he exclaimed.

Dick laughed. "Well, suck it up, Wally! They've been a part along time and will probably be spending the majority of their time holed up in Logan's room."

Wallace was genuinely happy for his friends. However, Veronica was so firmly entrenched in his mind as his sister that the thought of her having sex made him extremely uncomfortable.

He told Dick, "I'm glad for them and all, but this is too much for me! You don't have a sister or anyone who's like a sister, so you can't understand. I'm going to head to campus and stay with Piz at our dorm room for a few days. I never officially gave it up, and Piz and I have cleared the air."

"Okay, dude. You gotta do what you gotta do," Dick replied.

Inside Logan's room, the couple in question was laying in his bed wrapped in each other's arms. Logan looked down to see if Veronica was awake. Her eyes were closed, but there was a half smile of contentment on her face.

"Are you alive?" he asked.

"Barely," she said opening her eyes. She lifted her face up toward him in a silent invitation.

Logan didn't disappoint and kissed her softly. "Do you want to get up?" he asked her.

"No. Never," she replied. But she sat up in the bed. "I feel like I'm in a dream, and I'm going to wake up and discover the past twenty-four hours didn't happen."

"But it did. And if I have my way, it'll happen again and again," Logan said leaning down and kissing her neck.

Veronica laughed and pushed him away. "Enough, Logan! You're insatiable!"

"Only when it comes to you!" he responded, leering at her. "This is what you get for denying me all these months! I suffered greatly. We got to make up for lost time!" he insisted.

She laughed again. Then she got serious and said to him, "Logan, I really am sorry I put you through all that."

"It's okay, sugarpuss, you're worth waiting for," he declared, placing a kiss on her cheek.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked.

"Anything."

"Did you mean what you said two weeks ago when you said you didn't believe I really loved you after we broke up that last time?" she inquired.

"Do you really want to talk about this now? I thought we weren't looking backward anymore?" he said to her. He couldn't help but recall the last time they were in bed together, and she started asking him questions. It hadn't ended well.

"Holding on to the past is not the same thing as talking about the past. If we can't fully discuss all the issues that kept pushing us apart and work through them, we could make the same mistakes," she insisted.

"Not going to happen, and it doesn't matter anyway. You're stuck with me. I'm not letting you go again," he informed her as he pulled her over until she lay on top of him.

She smiled at her new position and couldn't resist kissing him. But when the kiss began to get heated, she pulled back and said, "I'm serious, Logan. We need to talk about some things. You live in the moment and go with what you feel. I live inside my head. You know that. I won't be able to relax and feel secure about us until we've taken apart why things often went so wrong. Before we'd spend time making up in bed just like now, both of us just happy to be back together and both of us too afraid to discuss anything that may rock the boat. I refuse to let that happen again. I want a future with you and not one that consists of us fighting and breaking up over and over."

Just the suggestion that they may break up at some point in the future upset Logan. He refused to even entertain such thoughts. Never had he been more determined to make sure it didn't happen. Because he was so happy right now, he didn't want to rehash past events that made him decidedly unhappy. However, he knew Veronica. She was like a dog with a bone once she got an idea in her head. She'd never let up. He resigned himself to the inevitable.

"Okay, I give up!" he declared. Then he flipped her onto her back. He kissed her because he could and because he wanted to make a point. "I'd much rather continue making love to you until one of us passes out, but if you, my little Tinkerbelle, rather talk, then we'll talk. You're wish is my command. But if you change your mind," he leaned down, "let me know," and he kissed her once again, adding heat this time to it.

She pushed him off her and giggled. "Okay, Echolls, you've proved your point. I think I'm going to put on some clothes so you'll be able to control yourself and pay attention." She got up from his bed revealing her naked backside.

He admired her sleek form and proclaimed, "It won't matter. I have both an incredible imagination and memory. Almost perfect recall in fact," he proclaimed as he leered at her suggestively.

She bent down to pick up his shirt, her backside facing him. He groaned. "You're killing me, babe!"

She flashed a provocative grin at him over her shoulder then threw his shirt at him. "You put on some clothes, too. I'm getting soft in my old age and find it harder to resist temptation."

He grinned at her and complied, pulling the shirt over his head. Even though he was not excited about revisiting certain events that happened between them, nothing can dampen his good mood. The fact that Veronica was insisting they work harder on their relationship and the things that caused problems between them meant a lot to Logan. Things really were different this time. She was not shutting him out. Instead, she wanted to guarantee they never have a reason to be apart again. Logan couldn't help but pleased by that even if he was not eager to begin.

After putting on one of Logan's t-shirts, Veronica sat back in the bed next to Logan. She grabbed the bottle of water on the night stand and took a long drink. Before putting the lid back on it, she offered a drink to Logan who took a quick drink from it.

"Okay, let the torture begin!" Logan said with false enthusiasm.

Veronica looked at him and pouted. "Logan."

Logan felt guilty for his joke and told her, "I'm sorry. I want us to talk. It's just that sometimes we can be perfectly fine, and then you start digging. I share. Then suddenly you're mad, and then you leave," he admitted with frustration and a tinge of fear.

She touched his face, turning him so that he was forced to look at her. Her hand rested on his cheek as she said, "Logan, look at me. I'm not going anywhere. I promise." She stared into his eyes, willing him to believe in her. "I hate that you find it so difficult to put your faith in me, but I know I've let you down before. And I don't want to do that again. That's why I truly believe we have to rip off some scabs before things can completely heal properly. It's going to be okay this time. You and I are not the same. We've both learned a lot about one another and ourselves. We can do this. I know it."

Logan could see that she was convinced and her determination to work through things settled him. "I love you," he told her, feeling the need to remind her of that before they began.

Veronica smiled sweetly at him and echoed his words. "I love you." Every time she said that to him he still couldn't help but be surprised at the ease in which she finally was able to say those words. It warmed every part of him. He relaxed back against the pillows and said to her, "Okay, let's talk."

Wanting to remind him of their connection as they talk, Veronica took his hand and connected it firmly with hers. "First, I just first wanted to address how I've made you feel unloved or that you didn't mean as much to me as I meant to you. On more than one occasion, you've also alluded to the fact that you think you are my second choice or that you can't compare to Duncan. I think that's where we should start."

"You would want to skip right to the hard part!" he grumbled. He paused, trying to figure out how he could voice clearly the fears and insecurities that he could never seem to shake. "You know having my mom die and my dad revealed as a murderer was a nightmare. But in some twisted way it was also a good thing for me because it brought you into my life. I'm not sure if we would've connected like we did if my mom hadn't died. Just thinking that makes me feel awful. I loved my mother. But a part of me is angry at her for never protecting me from him, and then she killed herself-abandoning me permanently and leaving me at his mercy." Logan paused for a moment looking away from Veronica, upset at the memory.

Veronica waited patiently for him in silence. He continued, "If my own mother couldn't love me enough to stick around, could I really expect you to or be surprised when you abandoned me, too, that summer after we first got together?"

His confession pained her to hear. "Oh, Logan, don't think that! Your mother was weak. Like my mother. A part of me knows clearly that my mom really loves me, just like a part of you knows that about yours. But the other part of me hates my mom for not loving me enough to stay. You're such a good man, Logan. And a good son. You won't let yourself feel any hate toward her and instead turn it inward, hating yourself. Don't do that, Logan." Logan was looking down as she spoke, but he was listening attentively.

Veronica lifted his chin up, so that she could look him in the eyes. She knew it was important for him to believe what she was about to say. "It's okay to blame your mom and even hate her a little. It's human," she told him with a squeeze of his hand. "But we really don't hate them. We're disappointed and hurt. They were both damaged, Logan. It wasn't about you or me. You're mom was hurting so much and felt so trapped that she didn't see any way out but the path she took. You need to believe that because it's true. I know it!"

He looked at her, wanting so badly to believe she was right. "I hope it is," he said, wistfully. "I want to believe you're right. But it's hard sometimes. In high school, you were the only one who ever really saw anything great in me. You were the one bright spot in my pain-filled existence, and you just said 'Okay, I've had enough. I don't like you much these days, so we gotta break up,' Can you imagine how that made me feel? Then your dad threw me out of your place like I was trash he couldn't wait to be rid of. So yes, Veronica, it's not always easy for me to trust that you really love me or believe you are going to stick around." Remembering how he felt then brought back all the anger and resentment he felt over her actions. "You wanted to talk, so there it is," he finished bitterly.

Veronica had to bite back the words that naturally came to her, bursting to get out. She wanted to point out how his behavior was so out of control then. She wanted to tell him how wrong he was and how unfair his judgment of her was. She forced herself to take a deep breath. Instead of defending herself, she sought to sooth. "Logan, I'm sorry it went down that way, and I made you feel like that. But you know you were so determined to keep on the course you chose with the war with the PCHers that it scared me. I was terrified that something worse would happen, and the more time I spent with you the harder it would be to lose you to the growing violence. My dad was concerned also, and his opinion always means a lot to me. It wasn't an easy decision for me to make."

"Really? It didn't take you any time to bounce back and be reunited with Duncan. Not only were you back with him but you started sleeping with him and treating me like I was beneath you!" he accused her, feeling renewed anger at the painful memory.

"You now, Logan, my behavior toward you senior year was in direct response to the way you acted towards me. You went out of you way to insult me or make digs at me and Duncan. You know that I never respond well when I feel like I'm being attacked," she calmly reminded him.

"How was I supposed to act, Veronica? Tell me? I was in love with you, and you weren't in love with me but instead were deliriously happy to be back with your one true love. The one who could do no wrong-Duncan Kane!" Logan exclaimed bitterly. He pulled his hand from hers.

"It wasn't like that Logan! It wasn't! You seem to forget something about me. I am truly a master at putting on the mask and playing a role and back then I was even better at deceiving myself. Lilly's death destroyed all of us. I was so miserable after she died. I didn't just lose her, but I lost everyone who I thought was my friend. No one but Meg so much as had a kind look for me. You made sure of that!" she said pointedly.

She stopped, knowing things were getting out of hand. She didn't want them to tear into each other but to work through the pain and anger. She began again, "Then Shelly's party happened, and I was even more miserable. I clawed my way back and figured out how to survive. I made a new life for myself and was reasonably happy, but I could never forget all the happy and carefree times you and I had with Duncan and Lilly. Most nights I dreamed about them as I slept. I _was_ happy with you, Logan, but when it looked like things were going to be ugly again my self-preservation instinct kicked in. I'm sorry, but I was younger, and I was scared. Duncan wanting to be with me again wasn't about you. You've got to understand that, Logan. It wasn't just about Duncan either. But it was also about getting back a part of Lilly. A part I so desperately wanted in my life again."

She stopped and searched his eyes to see if he understood. He didn't say anything, but he took her hand again and squeezed it, letting her know that he was listening. She continued, "And when you pulled that gun out that day at the River Styx, I felt like my instincts were right. You seemed determined to get yourself killed! It terrified me! If I didn't care about you, would I have gotten upset? Would I have even cared? I don't cry easily, Logan, you know that. The thought of you getting hurt upset me so much, and we had been broken up for months. I cared, Logan. Don't you _dare_ say that I didn't!"

Logan didn't like seeing her upset, and she was. He put his arm around her and held her against him. She let him comfort him. No words were exchanged; they just stayed close to one another. Veronica laid her head down on his chest and wrapped an arm around him, seeking further contact. They sat in silence for several minutes.

Finally, Logan admitted, "You know I think a problem about being an 09er is it doesn't equip you to handle losing things very well. I definitely handled loss mostly not at all. We both know my behavior in high school was deplorable."

Veronica looked up at him and smiled. "Not all of your behavior was deplorable. I can think of a time or two when it was pretty amazing and wonderful and so very brave."

"I guess I had my moments," he said, giving her a half smile.

"You had some amazing moments! And those moments were so spectacular that everything and everyone else faded into the background. You sometimes forget that you did inherit some good things from both your parents. Besides their good looks, you have twice their charm and charisma. People respond to you like they do to no one else. It's an amazing gift, Logan. The way I responded to your pull terrified me sometime," she admitted.

"I'm scary, huh?" he inquired with a smirk.

"I don't think you understand the full effect you have on me. You bring out everything in me, Logan-the good and the ugly. That's why I convinced myself you and I weren't good for each other. I didn't want to face who I really was. I kept holding on to this image of myself as the sweet, innocent Veronica Mars that was best friends with Lilly and girlfriend of Duncan. Piz also seemed to fit that old version of me. I couldn't let go of who I had been or see who I wanted to be. Nor could I see how much I needed you. I refused to admit how amazing we were together."

"Well, I liked that sweet, innocent Veronica you were, but I got to be honest and say that I never spent much time imagining all the ways I could make that Veronica scream out my name!" Logan said giving her a lecherous grin. "The Veronica you are now and the person you became after Lilly died was someone that everyone noticed, and I was powerless to ignore that person. Why else did I torment you? Didn't your momma ever tell you when you were little that boys pick on the ones they like?" he asked, grinning at her.

"Nope. My mom gave me three wise words to live by the first time I complained about a boy at school. She said, 'Boys are stupid!' and you know what? You really can be!" Veronica grinned at him.

He laughed and said, "I know I should take exception to that or defend my gender, but Dick's my best friend. And I know between the two of us we were pretty stupid and still can be sometimes. I know I was stupid for letting Weevil and his boys distract me and allow me to lose you that first time. And I was even more stupid for breaking up with you last year and then feeling so miserable I drowned myself in booze. If I'd been sober, I wouldn't so much as looked twice at Madison."

Veronica hated that reminder even though she told him it was forgotten. If it had been anyone but Madison, she could have gotten past it much easier. She looked away.

Logan could see the pain of his betrayal still hurt Veronica. He forced her to look at him. "Let me say what I never gotten a chance to say so that we can truly put it behind us." She looked at him expectantly and he said, "I've regretted a lot of things in my life, Veronica, but nothing as much as Madison. Some would argue that since we were broken up I didn't do anything wrong. However, I know that's not true. I know what I did was wrong because I didn't break up with you because I didn't love you anymore. I broke up with you because I knew that I loved you too much, and you seemed to push me away so easily. I was convinced you're leaving me was inevitable, so I walked away first. I wanted to protect myself. But I was so miserable afterward. I regretted it immediately and felt so lost and lonely. Dick kept encouraging me to get back on the horse, but I resisted. Not wanting to be with anyone that wasn't you. And I didn't want to be with Madison. You've got to believe that. But it was Christmas, and I hurt so much knowing we weren't spending it together. You were the only family I had to spend that holiday with, and I'd made sure we were apart. It was supposed to be our first Christmas together as a couple. I was feeling low and lonely. Naturally, I was drinking way too much and doing other things I won't mention. I ran into Madison, and she just gave me so much attention and affection. I didn't mean for it to happen. I was sick the next day realizing what I let happen. But she meant less than nothing to me. I am so sorry that it hurt you. It wasn't my intention. I just didn't think. I hope you really have forgiven me and that you can understand."

Veronica searched his gaze, seeing clearly his regret and his pain at what he broke. It's more than time she let it go. "Logan, I believe you. It's okay. I forgive you. My reaction was bad; I know. I know I overreacted. I just truly detest her, and when I was in that lingerie shop with Mac planning to buy something to wear that would please you, she was there telling me how she knew your preference. She made me feel less than adequate and brought back those awful feelings I had after Lilly died. I knew I wasn't as experienced as you, and I knew that she was. Not only did it hurt to picture you having sex with her, but it hurt and humiliated me to think that I could never be enough for you sexually. I didn't handle it well. She knew exactly what button to push. I guess we both have our insecurities," she admitted.

"Honey, you couldn't be more wrong. I can't even remember clearly that fleeting moment with Madison, so I know it wasn't worth remembering. But I remember every single detail of every moment spent with you. Every look, every kiss, every touch is seared into my memory. Reliving them is how I kept from giving up on us this past year. It's why I knew there was no point after Parker in wasting time with anyone that wasn't you. Madison has always been good at one thing: making other people feel small and inferior. But nothing could be further from the truth. She knows I never looked twice at her in high school. Even when she was with Dick, she couldn't refrain from hitting on me. The fact that I fell for you made her really resentful. She cannot in any way hold a candle to you. Believe me!" He leaned over and kissed her. He wanted her to know exactly how desirable he found her. Her arms went around his neck, and she welcomed his touch. The kiss quickly became very hot and Logan moved more of himself over her.

Veronica felt his body's reaction to her and hers clenched in response. She couldn't seem to get enough of him. However, she wanted to lay one more thing to rest. While she still has some control, she pushed her hand against his chest and tore her mouth away, breathing heavily. "Logan, wait. Give me a few more minutes. There is one more thing I want to say."

"You're killing me, Ronnie! Isn't the talking portion of the evening over with? I'm sure we can find something else to do to pass the time," he said suggestively as he leaned down to nimble on her neck.

She wiggled out from beneath him. Laughing at his childish pout, she said, "Now Logan, you can wait a few more minutes! It won't kill you!"

"It might, and then how will you feel?" he asked, grinning.

"I just want to finish what we were discussing. I want to put Duncan to rest completely. More than Piz, I believe he's always in the back of your mind, right?" she inquired.

"Yeah, probably," he admitted. "You didn't break up with him but instead committed a felony for him and lied to everyone about it, including your dad."

"Need I remind you that you committed a felony for Lilly by buying those tapes stolen from police evidence and then destroying them? Does that mean you loved her more than me?" she asked, pausing a moment to hit home her point. "I've heard you refer to her as the love of your life. Should I hold you to that now? Would it be fair?" she asked.

Logan responded, "There's love and then there's _LOVE_. I loved Lilly as much as I had ever loved anyone at that time in my life. She was a burning fire that I fought and hated and loved and lusted after. She made me crazy, and her death devastated me, especially since we never got to make up before she died. I felt guilt for that. But I learned after falling for you what love really was. She never made me truly happy. Our relationship was a roller coaster, and I thought she made me feel good. But after dating you, I learned the difference. Then after we got back together at the end of our senior year and had a perfect summer, I fell even more in love with you."

"So you should be able to understand how I felt about Duncan. When bad things happen, it's natural to cling to the familiar. But I know now what it means to be completely in love with someone," Veronica told him. "What I felt for Duncan was like puppy love. He has never made me feel even half of what I feel when I am with you. Yes, there's a physical thing between you and me that is incomparable. However, do you know why I am so sure that he never had the impact on me that you did?"

Logan really wanted to know, so he asked, "No. Why?"

"Because when he fled the country I not only let him go and helped him flee, but the loss of him never much altered my world. The pain was fleeting. Now do you think for one minute I would ever let you run half way across the world from me? Even when we were broken up, neither of us was willing to severe our ties with each other. And that's because we couldn't. Even when I wasn't ready to admit it, a part of me knew you were vital to my well being and happiness."

He looked at her, wanting so much to believe her. Logan was sick of feeling insecure. "Do you mean that?" he was unable to resist asking.

"Yes, I do, Logan," she said in response.

"Thank you. I know I shouldn't feel so insecure. But I felt so often that I could never measure up to your expectations and was always going to disappoint you. Sometimes it made me feel like I shouldn't bother trying anymore because I was going to be disappointed when you inevitably pushed me away again," he explained.

"No more pushing you away," Veronica said. "I promise to work on sharing what I'm feeling more in the moment instead of freezing you out. But you gotta work on letting me know when I make you feel insecure. _And_ let me know without attacking me, please!"

"But where's the fun in that?" he joked, grinning at her.

"Ha, ha! You'll survive just fine without that part of the fun!" she informed him. "For the record, I've never thought you weren't good enough for me. I just was always afraid of you falling back into destructive patterns. And your lifestyle choices concerned me. We're both children of alcoholics, but you never seem to see the risk you had or your propensity for consoling yourself with alcohol, which is classic alcoholic behavior. Some of your chosen companions only served to lead you into those behaviors."

"You're right. Not seeing through Mercer was proof of that, I'm still disgusted to say," Logan responded in self-loathing. "And I did realize last spring how I was self-medicating and mostly living a life of a reprobate. That's why I moved out of the hotel. I wanted to make a change."

"And you did. I noticed," she said smiling.

"Oh yeah? What else did you notice?" he asked flirtatiously.

"Oh, lots of things. I am a highly trained observer of the human condition after all!" she boasted as she gave him an arrogant smile.

He smiled and challenged her, "Oh, you are, huh? Prove it!"

"Well… I noticed that you were so lonely without me that you actually bought a house with Dick Casablancas."

He said, "Oh, that's how you saw it?"

She smirked. "Yep. It was obvious. And you missed me _so_ much that you managed to befriend both my best friends and lure them into your web with that Echolls' charm!"

Logan laughed. "I plead the fifth!"

She smiled knowingly at him. Then she rose on her knees and turned facing him. "I also noticed how sexy your face feels when you need to shave." She leaned forward and rested her cheek against his and then kissed each check slowly and seductively.

Logan's grin widened as his relaxed air was quickly replaced with his rising excitement at her behavior. He waited eagerly to see what she would do next.

"I've noticed that certain parts of you are more sensitive than others." She moved until she was straddling him. His hands automatically move to rest eagerly on her hips. He looked hungrily at her. "Oh yeah?" he asked. "What parts?"

"Your neck, for instance," she told him as she leaned forward and placed soft kisses on it, moving from one side to another. His hands on her waist tightened as she rested her mouth on a particular spot and gently bit down, applying some suction with her mouth. She grinned against his neck and said, "That's a spot that never fails to make you tense. I love noticing how much." She pressed down again and kissed the spot. Then she moved her lips up to his mouth, trailing feather like kissed over him. She kissed his mouth softly then pulled back and smiled seductively. "I've noticed that your lips are one of my favorite things." She traced them lightly with her fingers. "They make me laugh, and when they smile at me something inside of me clenches in response. And mostly, they make me hot when they kiss me."

She leaned forward and put her mouth firmly on his. His arms went around her as he opened his in invitation. Her tongue dueled with his, striving for dominance. Like a match thrown on a flame, passion rose again between them in an instant. The kiss went on and on. Just when Logan was about to throw her down unto the bed and take over, she pulled away. She grinned wickedly at him when he protested.

"Wait! I'm not done," she proclaimed as she put her hand on his chest, keeping him back.

"No, we're just getting started," he insisted as he reached for her, trying to push her face back toward him.

She resisted and sat back. "No. You issued the challenge. I'm not done telling you what all I observed about you." She threw a seductive look his way.

Logan took a deep breath, trying to gain back some control. "Fine. Have your way. I'm sure I'll be impressed."

"Oh, you already are!" she said as she felt his body's response beneath her. She couldn't resist tormenting him with a fleeting touch, making him jump in response.

"Veronica, you're killing me here!" His lust-filled gaze burned into hers, causing her own heartbeat to speed up in response.

"Not yet. But I will." She grinned provocatively. Then she pulled his shirt up. Needing no other hint, Logan quickly ripped it over his head and tossed it. He grinned at her eagerly.

"After much observation, I determined that your weight lifting class last year caused some noticeable changes." She rubbed her hands across his chest and down his stomach, stopping seductively at his waist. He sucked in a breath at her tease. "Changes that never fail to make a poor girl's heart go pitter-patter." She openly admired his rock hard chest and abs.

"I also discovered that your taste is very addictive." She leaned down and placed her mouth on his left nipple, teasing it with her tongue. Then she moved her mouth slowly across his chest while running her hand across his stomach. When her mouth reached his other nipple, she sucked and bit down gently, causing a moan to escape from his mouth. Her mouth curved in pleasure at his reaction. She continued moving her mouth down his stomach, tasting him with her tongue as she goes. She moved down until she reached his belly button, her tongue dipping inside.

"Veronica!" he shouted her name as she continued her exploration downward. Pausing, she sat up for a moment, her eyes darkened with passion as she gazed down at him.

He waited in anticipation at what she will do next. His look challenged her. She pulled off the blanket covering him, revealing his naked form. He'd never bothered completely dressing.

Logan's body's reaction to her administrations was obvious. She grinned wickedly down at him and said, "Finally, I observed that the only fool proof way of making you lose complete control is when I do this." She put one hand on the lower part of his jutting penis and slid her mouth over the tip, taking him in. Her hand slid up and down as she sucked him deeply into her mouth and back out as her tongue twirled around the tip. He thrust up into her mouth as she again closed her mouth tightly around him. Her hands moved to gently squeeze his balls.

Logan allowed her to torment him with her wicked mouth, thrusting in and out of her mouth slowly as he watched her mouth take him in. That image, combined with her actions, quickly push him to the limits of his control. He couldn't take it anymore. He regretfully pulled out of her mouth and pushed her back, forcing her to release him completely.

"That's it! I give up! You win!" he yelled as he grabbed her up and pulled her tightly up to his chest, fusing his mouth over hers. He kissed her wildly, losing control like she predicted. Then he moved back and rested his back against the headboard as he does his own exploration of her neck. He pulled her shirt off her body and wasted no time putting his mouth on her naked breast as his hand covered the other one, squeezing gently and flicking her nipple with his thumb.

She moaned in response, pleased that her lesson was producing her desired outcome.

His mouth moved to the other breast as he lifted her up so that her body was aligned with his. She slid over him, taking him inside of her. She rode slowly up and down wanting to continue to drive him further out of control. It made her feel so powerful.

Logan allowed her to have her way for a few minutes, enjoying the feel of her moving over him and the sight she displayed as she had her head thrown back in pleasure. Love filled him as he watched her move up and down on him.

"How is it you make me love you more all the time?" he wondered aloud. She opened her eyes and slowly smiled at him as she increased her pace some. He pulled her head down for a kiss, forcing her to stop moving. Then his hand moved down to touch her as he said, "I have a few observations of my own. I know what will make you wild." He grinned mischievously at her as his fingers teased her hot button. She moved again, riding him. When his thumb pressed in, she moaned his name and increased her pace furiously.

She grinned at him, deciding to use her last trick to force him to completely lose it. She rose up almost all the way until he was barely inside, slammed down hard, and then she squeezed her inner muscles, clamping down hard on him. His hands tightened on her hips as he began meeting her thrusts, pistoning hard inside of her. Finally, he has had enough and flipped her onto her back and plunged inside of her wet warmth. He slammed into her over and over. He finally felt her inner muscles tense up and knew she was about to come. He increased his pace, ready to burst. Just after she shouted out his name in completion, he thrust one last time, releasing himself inside of her.

He breathed heavily and then kissed her gently as he turned onto his back, taking her with him. He used his hands to keep them joined together, not yet wanting to severe their connection. She rested her chin on his chest as he hugged her to him. Then she looked up. "Are you convinced yet?" she asked coyly.

"Of what?" he said, too tired to think.

"That I love you completely and will never leave you again. And that you're more than enough for me," she told him as she looked sincerely into his eyes.

"Yes!" he exclaimed. "I'm convinced. I can't survive anymore of your persuasion tonight. I love you, too. More than anything."

She laid her head down on his chest for a few minutes, content just to be with him. She was so happy that they were finally able to talk through everything. It was like a weight had finally been lifted-a weight she hadn't realized she'd been carrying around until it was no longer weighing her down. Veronica was confident that finally everything would work out.

After a bit, Logan said, "We should take a shower and go to sleep. You've finally wiped me out!"

"No sleep! I need food!" Veronica insisted.

He grinned at her as she sat up and allowed him to pull out of her. "Okay. Shower first," he told her. They got out of bed, and Logan stopped her before they got to the door that opened to his private bathroom. He turned to her and said, 'Thanks, Ronnie. I'm not sure what I ever did to deserve you, but you won't regret giving us another chance."

She smiled. "I know I won't." They smiled at one another in complete accord. Logan took her hand, and they headed toward the bathroom. Both felt so good about their talk and their future.

_I know this chapter was a lot more risqué than the last one. But the story demanded it I thought. This is the longest chapter so far, and I loved writing every word. I am a talker myself and wanted them to address all the things that kept putting up roadblocks in their relationship. I also wanted to see Veronica be the seducer and aggressor for a change. I hope you feel the same, and it didn't drag. I hope the adult content didn't offend or shock too much! _


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 23: Giving Thanks

The days that followed Logan and Veronica's reunion were wonderful and happy days for them both. Somehow they managed to intertwine their lives together seamlessly. In some ways, it was like they had never been a part. In other ways, they each enjoyed discovering some subtle changes. For instance, Veronica was pleased to discover that Logan's habits had truly changed for the better. He rarely displayed the moodiness or bitter edge that had always been a part of him. He also seemed to really have left his partying ways behind. Dick no longer even tried to drag him to Greek keggers. Nor did Veronica ever see him drinking outside of an occasional glass of wine. He didn't seem to miss it either. She loved encountering new facets of him. It was like she was falling in love with him all over again.

For Logan, life could not get any better. In his entire life, he had never experienced such complete and utter joy. For the first time, he really felt like his life was perfect. He had a wonderful house by the beach, great friends who cared about him and who he cared about in return, and Veronica and he were together again. Except this time it was better than ever. No longer was she compartmentalizing her life and keeping aspects of it from him like she used to do. He knew the fact that she wasn't spending time as a P. I. and risking herself helped a lot. She had more time for him, and he was able to relax and enjoy every moment they were together. The relief he felt in not having to spend so much energy worrying about her all the time was significant. He knew that one day when she became an F.B.I. agent the worry would inevitably return. However, Logan had several years before he needed to worry about that. He refused to listen to the small voice deep inside him that reminded him things never stayed good for him for long.

Their friends were very thrilled at their reunion. Dick hadn't always been Veronica's biggest fan, nor was he enthusiastic about Logan always returning to her. However, since he began dating Mac, he understood more Logan's single minded pursuit of Veronica. He now had an understanding of why a man would risk so much for a woman. Before Mac, no woman had really mattered to Dick. Not even his mother had ever had a vital role in his life. Now, though, Dick could not imagine his life without Mac in it. He was enjoying getting to know her in a new way and seeing his best friend so happy again made him happy, too.

Veronica's dad, Keith, was not really surprised when his daughter told her that she and Logan were back together again. He knew after Veronica returned from her internship, and they had that discussion about Piz and Logan

that she was in some serious denial. Logan might make her unhappy sometimes because they both approached life so very differently. However, Veronica did not realize the way she came alive when she was with Logan. She did not understand that to someone like him that had known her all her life, she really could not hide what she was feeling. Keith knew she had been trying hard to force things between her and Piz. It had only been a matter of time before it imploded. Keith only wanted his daughter to be happy, healthy, and safe. He trusted Logan completely to keep her safe. After having them both over for dinner, he now knew Logan would do whatever it took to keep her happy.

When Logan and Veronica came over for dinner, Keith could see right away the difference in them both. Not only was their happiness obvious, but they seemed connected in a way they hadn't before. Sometimes Keith noticed them communicating with each other without words. They spoke volumes with their eyes and the way they looked at one another. It made him smile to see. He was especially pleased to see a new maturity in Logan. The restlessness that had always been a part of him was gone, replaced with an obvious contentment.

Logan was pleasantly surprised when Keith greeted him warmly for dinner. His relationship with Veronica's dad had always been rocky and adversarial at best. Logan always felt Keith could never really see him without seeing his father. After all, it was Keith who lept through flames Aaron had set in his attempt to kill Veronica. Keith was a man who would risk anything for Veronica or anyone he loved. Logan admired that about him and felt that if Keith could forget about their rocky start they could build a good relationship. There wasn't anyone else in Logan's life that he respected as much as Veronica's dad. Logan hoped someday Keith would think of him as more than just the guy dating his daughter. He knew also that it would mean a lot to Veronica if he and her dad got along well.

As Logan and Veronica were having dinner with Keith, Veronica asked him about their plans for Thanksgiving. She was surprised and pleased when Keith admitted that Alicia had asked him if they could join her and her boys for dinner that day. Veronica told him that it sounded great as long as Alicia had extra room. This was Duncan and Lily's first Thanksgiving home and Veronica and Logan wanted to have dinner with them. Logan's sister, Trina, never came home for Thanksgiving, so Logan's only family was them and Dick. Dick, of course, had none because his dad was still in prison and his mother spent all her time traveling with her husband. Veronica informed her dad that the Kanes were having dinner at noon like they always did because they went to parties or fundraisers in the evening. The dinner would need to be after five pm. Keith told her that he would let Alicia know.

The Monday before Thanksgiving vacation, Logan and Veronica were in the food court on campus working on the project they were doing together for their psychology class. They have to present a profile analysis on a convicted serial killer based on the psychology aspects they had learned in class. The assignment was half their semester grade, and they couldn't agree on a killer. Logan was insisting that Bonnie and Clyde would be perfect and Veronica disagreed, claiming it was both an obvious and predictable choice. She refused to be so unoriginal.

They were bickering good-naturedly when Piz came into the food court and saw them together. This was not the first time he had spotted them together on campus. However, most of the time when he glimpsed them he was quick to go the other direction, not ready to face them. Veronica never came to see Wallace whenever he was staying at the dorms. Wallace had admitted to Piz that Logan and Veronica's reunion had driven him from the beach house. He still stayed there, but he usually spent a few nights at the dorm with Piz. He knew that if he really wanted things to be the way they used to be between him and Wallace, he needed to clear the air with Veronica.

Even though Piz had made a point in avoiding Veronica, especially if she was with Logan, he knew now things were different. As he looked at them, he realized it no longer hurt. Piz watched them together for a few minutes. Veronica was lit up in a way he didn't think he had ever seen before. The word radiant came to his mind as he watched her with Logan. He could not help but admire her glowing beauty. Piz knew from her expression that she was enjoying flirting with Logan. She looked incredibly happy-much happier than he'd ever seen her before. Logan looked at her as if there was no one else in the world for him. Piz knew from experience that there wasn't. Logan really did see only her. Observing their obvious unity did not upset Piz. Instead, he was relieved that his observations didn't bother him. He really had moved on. He knew now was a good time as any to mend fences.

Veronica looked up when Piz approached them. She warily greeted him, unsure of what to expect. Logan predictably gave him a hard stare and crossed his arms, more than willing to put Piz in his place if necessary. They were both surprised when Piz gave them a friendly greeting.

Veronica looked to Logan when Piz asked if he could speak to her a moment. Logan didn't need to say anything to Veronica because she correctly interpreted his look of warning. She asked Piz to sit down, letting him know that anything he had to say to Veronica he would have to say in front of Logan.

"I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am for the way I acted and the things I said. You didn't deserve it, and I'm not sure what came over me. I hope you can forgive me," he said, offering her a half smile.

Logan looked skeptical, but Veronica smiled. "Thanks, Piz. I really appreciate you saying that. I owe you my own apology. I never meant to hurt you or mislead you. I really did convince myself that Logan and I were over."

Logan interjected, "As you can see, she was wrong." He put his arm around her, reminding Piz of their relationship and Logan's claim. Veronica flashed Logan an annoyed look at his display of possessiveness, but she didn't remove his arm.

Piz wasn't bothered by Logan's obvious hint. Instead, he was amused and smiled at them. "I'm happy for you, Veronica. I wish I could've been the one to make you so happy. But it wasn't meant to be. I can see that now. I should've known better."

Veronica was both relieved and happy to hear him say that. She always liked Piz and regretted she'd managed to both alienate and hurt him. "It's okay, Piz. We both made mistakes. I hope we can try to be friends for Wallace's sake at the very least."

Piz told her thanks that he would like that and then got up to leave, saying goodbye. After watching him leave, Veronica turned to look at Logan, noticing he had a sour expression on his face.

"Now, snookums, don't mar your pretty face with that ugly look," she teased, trying to coax a smile from him.

It didn't work. Logan said, "He better not start giving you puppy dog eyes again and start following you around and asking you to go bowling. I don't care if he and Wallace are friends again or not! If I had put a stop to that when you first introduced me to him, you probably never would've went out with him!"

Veronica laughed at his obvious jealousy and skewed logic. "That's like saying if you'd never rescued me from Ben the wanna-be-undercover-agent at the Camelot, we never would've kissed."

"It's not the same thing at all!" Logan insisted emphatically. "You and I were fated. Our first kiss was inevitable."

She grinned and leaned toward him. "Fated, huh? I like the sound of that. Maybe it's fated that you kiss me right now and quit wasting your energy being jealous."

"I'm not jealous of that wanna be rocker!" Logan protested.

"You're not?" Veronica asked, trying to sound hurt. "I'm not worth being jealous over?"

Finally, Logan shook off his dark thoughts about Piz and looked at her. He gave her that smile that never failed to melt her. "You are worth _everything_," he said as he leaned closer and kissed her. She held back her satisfied smile and returned his kiss with enthusiasm. When she pulled back and looked at him seductively, he admitted, "Okay, you're right. I was jealous. A little." She smiled and kissed him softly in appreciation of his confession. Then she moved her lips to his neck.

Logan stood up quickly. "That's it. We're going back to my place, so I can make it up to you!" he said urgently. Veronica smiled and began to gather up her stuff. She got up and whispered in his ear, "My room is closer. Mac's in class for the next two hours." Logan gave her a sharp look and practically dragged her out of the cafeteria. Veronica giggled at his behavior as he led her out.

A few hours later, Mac was in her room. She had gotten back from class a bit after a very satisfied Logan and Veronica had left to take in their afternoon classes. Dick stopped by her dorms, taking a chance that she would be in her room and was happy to have her answer the door.

"Come on in, Dick. This is a nice surprise," Mac said as she greeted him with a quick kiss.

"I missed you and wanted to see if you were home," Dick answered, wrapping his arms around her in a bear hug.

Mac smiled at him and returned his embrace. When he released her, she looked up at him and asked, "Don't you have some Pi Sigma Thanksgiving thing to do today?"

"Yes, this evening. We're putting together the final details of the turkey dinner for the poor we're doing tomorrow with our sister sorority. I thought being in a frat would be all parties and babes, but they always seem to have us doing a bunch of do-gooder stuff," he grumbled.

"I, for one, find that the one redeeming quality of the Greek system!" Mac declared. "You guys still manage to throw a lot of keggers in between your good deeds anyway!" Mac reminded him with a smile.

"Yep, but they're not as much fun anymore 'cause I'm not on the prowl scoping out babes," Dick complained.

"Oh, you're not?" Mac asked with a coy smile.

Dick wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned down. "Nope. You're the only babe I want to scope out these days!" He demonstrated the sincerity of that statement by placing his lips on hers and kissing her. Mac welcomed his kiss and put her arms around him allowing him to deepen the kiss. It didn't take long for both of them to pull apart, breathing heavy. Dick grinned down at her as he saw the bemused look on her face that his kiss had caused.

He grabbed her hand and walked her to her bed. "So, Mackie, we've been dating for over a month now. Things have been going well, don't you think?"

Mac smiled in agreement. "Yes, Dick, I do. You've really impressed me. We've had a lot of fun together, and you've manage to convince me that I'm important to you."

"That's 'cause you are. I've never felt like this before. You're all I seem to think about," he admitted.

Mac was touched to hear his heartfelt confession. She had found dating Dick to be unlike any of her other relationships. She was never anxious or worried about what he was thinking about her because he shared pretty much every thought he had with her. At first, she found that to be disconcerting and was skeptical about his sincerity. However, she soon realized that Dick was just an open person who didn't waste energy on pretense. Sometimes his openness could be embarrassing and uncomfortable because Mac was so private. Mostly, though, she found it to be refreshing. He made her want to be more open. Unfortunately, she was a long way from being there. A part of her was playing a wait and see game with Dick. She thought she could love him some day if she let herself fully trust him. Trust, however, did not come easy with her. It never had, and since Cassidy it was even harder for her to completely trust someone. Maybe in time.

She told him, "I'm really enjoying the time we spend together, too. You surprise me all the time."

"A good surprise?" he wondered.

"Of course!" she answered him, smiling.

Dick couldn't resist kissing her again. Because they were on her bed, it seemed very natural for Mac to lay back and allow Dick more room. Soon they were making out like they couldn't get enough of each other. Dick loved kissing her and felt like he could do it for hours. It was unusual for him because with other girls he had thought of kissing as a necessary chore in order to get to the main event. But with Mac, it was different. He always wanted to make it last forever.

Today their kissing made him want to be even closer to her, so he forced himself to gentle the kiss and pull away. He couldn't resist kissing her neck, however. He knew it really excited her when he did that. She moaned his name and tilted her head to the side allowing him to explore her neck at his leisure. He wanted her so badly; he suddenly sat up and took a deep breath.

"What's wrong? Why did you stop?" Mac asked as she sat up in confusion.

"Because…" Dick stopped at a loss.

Mac suppressed the grin that threatened. He was so cute when he was at a loss for words; it was rare. She couldn't resist reminding him, "Dick, you know I'm not a virgin, right?"

"Well, I figured you weren't," Dick responded.

"So what's the problem? We've been dating several weeks, and you've not even tried to get past first base. Why is that?" she asked expectantly. When he didn't answer right away, a thought occurred to her. "It's not me, is it? Do you not want me that way?"

"What?" Dick exclaimed. "Are you crazy? Of course, I want you! I've never wanted anyone so much in my life!"

"Then what's the problem? I like you; you like me. We both like sex. At least I do. Have you already moved past your peak?" she teased.

Dick's mouth dropped open in shock at her question. When she saw the expression on Dick's face, she busted out laughing.

Dick realized she was having fun at his expense and took it in stride. "You wound me!" he pouted. "Just for that..." he pounced on her and began tickling her. He discovered over the summer that she was very ticklish.

She giggled and squirmed, trying to escape his torment. "Dick! Stop! Please! I'm sorry!" She laughed and pushed at him to no avail. Finally, he stopped, and they locked gazes. The moment quickly turned from laughter to something else altogether.

Dick cupped her face in his hand. He was no longer smiling but looked at her in a way he had never done so before. His look made Mac's heart race. She waited for him to say something.

"How could I not want you, Mac?" he asked as he gently caresses her face. "You're perfect."

"No, I'm not," she answered automatically.

He smiled gently at her and said, "You're brilliant. You're kind. You're patient. You're a great friend. You're loyal. You're fun, and you're beautiful. Perfect." He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips; then he sat up.

Mac found his unusual behavior unsettling. "I'm sorry, Dick, but I'm not understanding. What's wrong?"

Dick was unsure how to explain. He didn't want to sound as foolish as he felt. Mac's opinion of him mattered a lot. He answered, "I want to make love to you, Mac. I do. It's just I've been with a lot of girls, and once we have sex, it seems to always be the end. Either I become bored or they do. And I'm not ready for things to be over with you." He was unable to look at her when he admitted the last sentence.

His confession really affected Mac. He never ceased to surprise her. "Dick, have you ever made love to a woman you really cared about? And I'm not talking about attraction or chemistry but real feelings?" she clarified.

Dick shook his head. "Not really. I did have a week-long marriage last winter, but I only knew her a short time and reality quickly came to both of us."

Mac smiled. "Sometime you'll have to tell me about that. But Dick, when two people really care about one another, sex just serves to solidify the bond. Even if things between us didn't last a long time, I think we care enough about each other to remain friends, don't you?"

Dick looked at her intently before answering. "I hope so. Next to Logan, you're like my best friend. I know we haven't always been close, but I can't imagine not having you in my life." He paused, looking unsure. "I'm afraid sex will ruin things between us."

"Well, I know it won't. But there's no rush, Dick. This isn't a race. We can wait. _I_ can wait. It's okay with me. I care more about growing closer to you. We'll get to the point when you will trust what's between us enough to know that it's okay to take the next step," she said reassuringly to him.

Dick smiled in relief. "Thanks, Mac."

Mac leaned over and gave him a soft kiss of assurance and whispered seductively in his ear, "Building anticipation will only make it better." She nibbled on his ear.

Dick gave her a heated look and groaned, "Mackie, you're too cruel!"

Mac laughed and sat up. "I did want to ask you something. I was wondering if you wanted to have Thanksgiving with me and my family?"

Dick grinned, pleased at her invitation. Then he frowned. "Well, I sort of told Logan I'd have dinner with him and Ronnie at Wallace's mom's. But I'm sure they'll understand."

"No need to cancel. They're having dinner in the evening so Duncan and Lily can have an early one with his parents. Then they'll be joining everyone at the Fennell's. We can still join them. My family always has dinner around noon because Mom can't stand Ryan's whining and dad always sneaking food. A few years ago she gave up and decided lunch was better and that we'd have leftovers for dinner," she explained.

"Awesome!" Dick declared. Mac had never invited him to her parent's for dinner. He was smart enough to recognize the significance of her invitation. He asked, "So, Macster, I gotta ask. How exactly do you plan on introducing me to your parents?"

"Uh, you're the hobo I picked up on the corner?" she offered grinning.

"Very funny!" Dick said, giving her a dirty look.

"I signed up for Big Brothers and Sisters, and you're my big brother?" she asked, giggling at the thought.

"Keep laughing! I'll remember that the next time I get to pick the movie we watch!" Dick told her pouting.

She suppressed her laughter and smiled at him. "Well, in that case. I suppose I'll just have to settle for introducing you as my boyfriend."

"Really?" he asked hopefully.

"Really. We've been dating exclusively for several weeks and neither of us wants to date anyone else, right?" she inquired.

"No, I don't. I want you to be my girlfriend. Since you weren't that sure about dating me to begin with, I was afraid to ask you 'cause I didn't want to push it if you didn't want to label things," he said.

"I'm okay with good labels, Dick," Mac reassured him.

Dick looked very happy and leaned in to give her an enthusiastic kiss. She kissed him back and then pulled away. She gave him a sneaky look and told him, "You know, Dick. I think this occasion calls for a celebration, don't you?"

"Sure. Where do you want to go?" Dick inquired.

"Nowhere. I was thinking that since we've established we're an official couple, it's time we at least moved to second base," Mac said as she quickly unbuttoned her shirt. She had a pleased look on her face as she watched Dick's expression go from surprise to excited pleasure.

Her bold action served to render Dick speechless. Her heart rate kicked up in excitement. She decided to take things one step further and unsnapped her bra, allowing it to fall slowly downward.

Dick's expression quickly turned heated. He seemed frozen in place, unsure of how to respond. Enjoying the effect she was having on him, she moved until she was straddling him. "So Dick, how about you show me some of those legendary Casablancas' skills I've heard so much about. Surely, you can work with such a limited canvas?" She gave him a seductive smile. "No going below the waist. Think you can handle that?" she challenged him.

Finally, Dick shook his head and took a deep breath, clearing the fog that had momentarily settled on him. He gave her a lecherous grin. "I think I can manage." He kissed her and her arms went around his neck. He set out to prove to her exactly how true the rumors were.

Across town, Duncan Kane was contemplating the various relationships in his own life. In particular, the one he had with Veronica. He was feeling a bit foolish thinking about all the fantasies he had at one time built around Veronica and a future with her. Duncan was mostly happy for Veronica and Logan. But he couldn't deny to himself that seeing how happy she obviously was with Logan caused him some pain. It confirmed his suspicion that his relationship with Veronica never impacted her the way it did him. The connection that existed between her and Logan was obvious to Duncan, and it reminded him of what had been missing in his own relationship with her. Observing the two of them was bittersweet for Duncan. He knew they both deserved the happiness they were experiencing with one another, but he couldn't help but envy them. He wanted to be that connected to someone. He wanted someone to look at him the way Veronica looked at Logan.

With that in mind, he called Jazmin. She was the first woman since Veronica who really excited him. They had gone out a few times since Lily's baptism. He really liked her. When she answered the phone, she told him that she was about to do some laundry. He asked her when she was leaving for home. She shared with him that she flew out to Chicago on Wednesday afternoon. They made plans to have lunch together before she left.

After hanging up with Duncan, Jazmin went into the dorm laundry room. She was surprised to see Wallace in there. She greeted him, "Hey, Wallace!"

Wallace looked up in surprise when his name was called. He grinned in pleasure when he saw Jazmin. "Hello! It's great to see you! How have you been?"

"Fine. I'm surprised to see you here. I figured since your mom isn't too far from campus, you'd do laundry at home," she observed.

"Normally, I do or I do it at Logan and Dick's. But I stayed the weekend here on campus and had a load I needed to wash," he explained. "So are you going home for Thanksgiving?"

"Yeah, I'm supposed to leave Wednesday afternoon," she shared.

"Are you excited to see your family?" Wallace inquired.

"Excited isn't the word I'd use exactly," she answered evasively.

"I take it your family can be a trial," Wallace said.

She shrugged and answered, "A bit. I'm really close to my twin brother, Jason, but my parents are another story entirely."

"You're a twin? I didn't know that! That's pretty cool. Do you look a lot alike?" Wallace asked her.

"Yes, we do look alike. Since he doesn't live here, I don't really mention him much or the fact that we're twins. It's not easy for me to talk about him because it's really hard to be away from him. We've never been a part before except for a few weeks at a time," she explained, looking sad as she shared this bit of herself with Wallace.

Wallace wanted to cheer her up and reminded her, "Well, you'll get to see him again soon. I'll bet he'll be really glad to see you. I left Neptune for a while my senior year when I went to live with my dad in Chicago. I left really upset with both my mom and Veronica. It wasn't as easy being away as I thought it would be."

"Really? You and Veronica seem like you never fight," she observed.

"We don't really. She and the girl I was seeing at the time were not getting along and the drama between them, combined with finding out my mom lied to me my entire life about who my dad was, just became too much. I just couldn't deal with all the women in my life and left with my dad," Wallace revealed.

"Not many women could handle dating a guy whose best friend is a beautiful and intelligent woman like Veronica," Jazmin observed. "I know I've never been close friends with a guy before."

"Yeah, I know. It can be tricky. I can't say I ever had a female friend I was close to before Veronica. We became close very quickly when I came to Neptune. She helped me out of a tight spot when no one else would so much as say hello. Things were rough for her and she seemed all alone, but she held herself so aloof from the students who seemed to thrive on heaping misery at her. I admired her from the beginning and found myself wanting to know the enigma she presented. I don't think I realized how important she was to me until I left and didn't have her around me for awhile. She had made Neptune home for me, so when I left I found myself missing her a lot."

Jazmin smiled at his tale. "I bet you never even told her, did you?" she teased. "Guys rarely like confessing they need a woman!"

Wallace grinned in acknowledgment. "Hey, V knows I love her!"

"I think it's really sweet they way you and Veronica are so close," Jazmin told him. "Has Logan ever had a problem with your friendship?"

"No. Veronica usually kept us separate in her life. When I met him, he and Veronica were more enemies than friends or lovers. Even though she and I are close, we were never joined at the hip. It was pretty obvious to most people that she and I were only friends when we dated other people. And since I try to stay out of her love life, conflict between me and her boyfriends never really arises. At least not about me and her being friends. Now that Logan and I are close friends, he knows without a doubt that I'm not a threat," Wallace explained.

"It's great how close you and your friends all are. You're really lucky to have each other," she said wistfully. "I never really had many close friends besides my brother."

"I have trouble believing that! An amazing girl like you usually has tons of friends. Didn't you say you were a jock? Instant friends!" Wallace responded.

"Yes, I had teammates who I hung out with and were friends with. But none I felt really connected to or I could confide in. My life's always been complicated, so I never felt like I could really share personal things with just anyone," she admitted.

"Well, I hope you don't feel that way anymore," Wallace said. "You have all of us, and Veronica is the best friend anyone could ever have. We're here if you need us."

"Thanks, Wallace. That means a lot. I can see why Veronica values your friendship so much. You're really easy to talk to. I don't think I've ever shared so much about myself with anyone before," Jazmin revealed.

"What can I say? The ladies love me!" Wallace boasted with a grin. His dryer buzzed, and he went to unload his clothes.

Jazmin grinned at him. He was such a nice guy. Veronica was very lucky to have such a friend. As he said goodbye, she couldn't help but feel a little lonely at his absence. Wednesday couldn't get here soon enough.

On Wednesday, Duncan went to meet Jazmin for lunch, and she never showed. When he called her and she didn't answer, he grew concerned. He decided to head by her dorms to check on her. He knocked and listened to see if anyone was there. He could hear someone, so he knocked again. After a minute, she came to the dorm. Duncan could see she had been crying and was really upset.

"Are you okay, Jazmin? What's wrong?" he asked in concern.

It dawned on her that she blew off her lunch plans with Duncan. "Oh, no! I'm sorry, Duncan! I completely forgot about having lunch with you!" she exclaimed apologetically.

"Don't worry about it. It's obvious that something's wrong. What's going on?" Duncan asked.

"I can't go home for Thanksgiving. O'Hare cancelled all flights for the next forty-eight hours due to a snow storm. I can't believe it! It would be my bad luck that when I finally get to go home to see my brother the airports are shut down!" she complained.

"That sucks! I'm sorry! I know you were looking forward to your visit," Duncan said with sympathy.

"Yeah. Well, that's life. What can I do? I'll just have to wait until Christmas I guess. Sorry about forgetting lunch. I'm not really in the mood for company right now," she explained, wanting to be alone.

"I understand. How about you join all of us at Wallace's for dinner tomorrow evening at seven? It'll be fun and being with friends will keep you from getting even more depressed. I know everyone would love to have there," he offered.

"I don't know. Are you sure there's room for another person?" she asked.

"Absolutely. Wallace is always talking about his mom's cooking. Women who cook well tend to cook in large amounts anyway. She knows all of us are unmarried and need to take home the leftovers!" he said smiling at her.

His assurance prompted a small smile from her. "Well, if you're sure then okay. I'll be happy to eat with all of you."

Duncan smiled in pleasure at her acceptance. He gave her a hug. She allowed herself to lean into him for a moment, needing comfort from someone who cared about her. She had been feeling really sad and lonely since she found out she couldn't go home. It wasn't easy for her to go so long without seeing her twin. When she pulled away, she offered him a grateful smile. "Thanks, Duncan. I really needed a friend right now. You're timing was perfect."

"Anytime. You're not alone here, Jazmin. I care about you. I'm sorry you won't get to spend the break with your family like you wanted, but I will be glad to spend the extra time with you. I know Veronica and everyone will feel the same way," he said.

She smiled at him, and he turned to leave. Before he walked out the door, he told her that he would call her later to see if she was feeling any better. As she shut the door behind him, Jazmin couldn't help but feel fortunate to have acquired the interest and friendship of such a kind and thoughtful man. He made her miss her brother a little less.

Thanksgiving morning arrived at the beach house with Dick banging on Logan's bedroom door shouting, "Happy Turkey Day! Get up! Get up! Get up!"

Veronica rolled over and snuggled into Logan's side and grumbled, "Please go kill your friend for me! What's wrong with him?"

Logan hugged her to his side and placed a kiss on her bare shoulder. "Well, sugarpuss, you know Dick is a morning person and holidays excite him. You should see him at Christmas," Logan said with a fond smile. Then he looked a bit sheepish. "I might've promised him that I'd go surfing this morning."

Veronica opened her eyes and glared at Logan. "Why would you do that? It's the first day of our vacation and a major holiday! You're supposed to spend it with me!" she pouted.

Logan grinned down at her and couldn't resist kissing her pout. "Now don't be mad, but Dick sees surfing as a spiritual experience and thinks all holidays must be observed by surfing. How could I say no to him? It'd be like kicking a puppy. You can go back to sleep, and I'll cook you breakfast when we get back in," he offered her.

She pushed the comforter from her face and rolled unto her back and smiled up at him. "Okay, if you want to leave me _all alone_ in your bed, then go," she said sweetly.

Logan smirked at her and leaned over her. "Hey, if it was up to me, we'd _never_ leave this bed! But since there are other people in the world, we have to eventually. Don't worry, sugarlips, we'll be spending lots of quality time in it over break!" He winked and kissed her neck and moved to get up. She grabbed his arm to prevent him for going.

"That's not a proper goodbye!" she insisted.

He grinned and leaned in to give her the kiss she desired. Before things got too heated, he broke away and jumped up. "Now, now, no more of that! Later!" He ran into the bathroom before she succeeded in distracting him, knowing he had very little will power where she was concerned. Veronica couldn't help but laugh at his flight, knowing exactly why he all but ran from the room.

Later that evening, Veronica was happy to go to the Fennell's with Logan by her side. Dick was coming later from Mac's parent's house. She wanted to arrive a bit early in case Alicia needed any help. Her dad was sitting at Alicia's kitchen table when they entered. She kissed his cheek in greeting and gave Alicia a hug hello. When she offered to help, Alicia told her that everything was covered. Keith interjected and told her that she could help with the clean up later. Wallace came in to greet them. They spent a few minutes chatting when the door bell rang. Wallace went to open it and was surprised to see Jazmin at the door with Duncan and Lily.

"Well, this is a nice surprise! I didn't know you were coming, Jazmin. What happened to your trip home?" Wallace asked

"I hope you have room for me. Duncan invited me when my flight to Chicago was canceled," she explained.

"I'm so sorry, Jazmin! I know how excited you were to be seeing your brother. But don't worry, we have plenty of food," he assured as he took her coat and bent down to give Lily a hug.

"Hi, Wallo!" she grinned up at him. Veronica and Logan walked into the living room to see who had arrived. When Lily spotted them, she ran straight to Logan. "Logie! Up!" She stretched out her arms to him. He grinned and picked her up.

Veronica felt a bit slighted and crossed her arms and complained, "It's not fair! Every time Logan's around it's like I'm invisible! Why doesn't she like me?"

Duncan tried not to laugh at Veronica's pout. He knew she had very little experience in being ignored. "She likes you just fine, Veronica. It's just when we first arrived back in Neptune we spent a lot of time at Logan's. Lily never had any attention from anyone but me. It's natural that she would be more attached to the first person who gave her attention and spent a lot of time playing with her. Logan and Dick have many hours on you. She will grow more attached to you as she gets older, especially since she doesn't have a mother."

Logan grinned and couldn't help baiting her. "What can I say? The smart ones are always powerless to resist me! You should know that from your own experience!"

Veronica gave him a dirty look; Lily noticed she was not smiling. " 'kay, 'Onnie?" she asked Veronica, wanting to know if Veronica was okay. She couldn't pronounce r's yet and that was the closest she could get to Ronnie. Veronica smiled at her and held out her arms. Lily easily agreed to go to her. She took her and gave Logan a satisfied smirk. Duncan and Jazmin laughed at the two of them.

Veronica and Alicia were playing with Lily when Dick and Mac arrived. Veronica was annoyed but not surprised when once again, Lily abandoned her as she shouted in glee at Dick's arrival. In no time, Dick had her laughing at his silliness. Mac laughed at Dick and shook her head at his antics. Jazmin went over to say hello to her. Mac was pleasantly surprised to see Jazmin. Like Veronica, she found Jazmin very easy to befriend. Mac had never met a woman as beautiful as her that wasn't conceited or who didn't act entitled like Madison Sinclair always did. She either wasn't aware of how attractive she was, or she didn't care. So it was hard not to like Jazmin. They went over to join Veronica on the couch.

"How did dinner at your parents go?" Veronica asked. "Did Dick behave himself?" Before Mac could answer, she explained to Jazmin that it was Dick's first time meeting the parents.

Mac smiled and answered, "It went great. Dick was on his best behavior. He won over dad with his talk of football. I didn't realize he followed the sport, but he explained to me later that most of his frat brothers are rapid fans, and he couldn't help but get sucked in. He won over Mom with how much he ate and how much he played with Ryan. They thought he was an amazing guy for playing with Ryan, not realizing he was like a ten year old himself who enjoyed nothing more than playing juvenile games with kids he can actually beat!"

Veronica and Jazmin laughed at her accurate description of Dick. Jazmin thought they were an odd pairing but was quick to see how they complemented one another. It was obvious that Dick adored her. And Mac seemed to appreciate his zest for life and fun loving ways. It was not long before their conversation was cut short by a notice from Alicia that it was time to eat.

Everyone gathered around the table. Alicia and Keith were stationed at each end. Veronica was to her dad's right with Logan next to her. Dick and Mac were next to Logan. On Keith's left was Wallace, who was sitting next to Jazmin, who was sitting next to Duncan. Darrel had the last chair with Lily in a high chair by Alicia. She had volunteered to feed and watch over her during the meal, knowing Duncan would enjoy time visiting with his date and his friends. It gave Alicia time to practice her grandmother skills. Hopefully, in five or six years from now, she'd have a granddaughter of her own to feed at holidays.

Once the dishes were passed around, Veronica said that before they eat everyone should go around the table and say what they are thankful for. Then she elected her dad to start.

"I'm thankful for my beautiful daughter Veronica and that she has gone almost six months without getting arrested or putting her life in danger investigating!" Keith proclaimed with a grin while everyone laughed. "I'm also thankful for Alicia and the wonderful dinner she's prepared for us." They shared a smile. Veronica was happy to see her dad so happy again.

Wallace said, "I'm thankful that I'm almost done with the semester and WILL pass ALL my classes! And that next semester I'll be able to have a real social life again!"

"Watch out ladies!" Veronica joked.

"You know it!" he boasted, grinning. Dick gave him a cat call of encouragement. Everyone laughed.

Jazmin said, "Well, I'm thankful that I didn't have to spend the day alone. And I'm grateful for meeting Veronica and thankful that she has so many wonderful friends who have been so nice to me." Duncan grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Well, I'm grateful Veronica met you and brought you around myself!" Duncan told her. "I'm also thankful for Veronica because she's the reason I even have my daughter." He looked at her with a smile.

Keith interrupted, "Hey, now, officer of the law here. Feel free to keep any illegal activities involving my innocent daughter to yourself!" Everyone laughed but Jazmin who wasn't sure what Duncan was referring to. She made a mental note to ask him later.

"I'm thankful for Kobe Bryant and the days off from school!" Darrel exclaimed with glee.

Alicia's turn came, and she said, "Well, I'm thankful to have a good friend like Keith." She exchanged smiles with him. "And I, too, am thankful Wallace is going to pass all his classes this semester!" Everyone smiled.

"I'm thankful for Dick who always makes me laugh," Mac said sweetly which earned her an enthusiastic kiss from Dick.

Dick in turned said, "I'm thankful for my _girlfriend_ Cindy Mackenzie, who is the smartest and most wonderful woman I know!" She smiled at him and then Darrel asked in confusion, "Who's Cindy? I thought Mac was your girlfriend?" He didn't understand why his question produced more laughter until his mom explained that Dick was just saying Mac's full name.

When Logan's turn came, he baited Veronica and said, "I, too, am thankful for Kobe Bryant and Jazmin and Wallace's grades and for my goddaughter Lily and for Dick's awesome girlfriend Cindy." He stopped and everyone waited expectantly. "And I'm thankful for surfing and for my beach house and…"

At that point Veronica slapped him on the arm and ordered, "Enough already!"

He grinned at her and finally admitted, "But most of all I am thankful for Keith Mars for bringing such a wonderful daughter into the world who I adore and who worships the ground that I walk on!" Everyone laughed, and Veronica gave him a sour look. "The girl who I worship even more and am _so_ grateful that she puts up with me and loves me in return!" He leaned in and gave her a kiss, oblivious to their audience until Keith grew uncomfortable with their passionate display and said, "Okay, that's enough! We get it! Children and dads are present! Hello!" They finally pulled apart, not caring about the various cheers, laughs, snickers, and whistles.

The only one who was yet to share her thanks was Veronica. All eyes looked to her to see if she had anything to add. "What can I say? I'm thankful for me, too! What a gal! You all _are _lucky to know me! I'm glad you finally realize it!" Her friends laughed and looked at her fondly. Then she got serious and looks around at everyone at the table. "I can't tell you how much you all mean to me and how thankful I am to have you all a part of my life. I'm not sure what I'd do without you." Then she looked to Logan. "Logan, thanks for waiting for me and not giving up on us. I love you." Logan was visibly affected by her public declaration. He gave her a soft kiss, knowing he didn't need to say anything-she could read what he was feeling in his eyes. Their friends clapped. Everyone was happy that they were finally on the same page.

"Can we eat now?" Darrel begged, breaking the spell. Everyone laughed at him as his mom told him yes.

Keith looked around at the table and the family he and Veronica had managed to create. He knew that family connections weren't dependent on blood bonds. Leanne's abandonment of them was testament to that fact. No father could be more proud of his child than he was of Veronica. It warmed his heart to finally see her so happy and at peace. This day was a long time coming. He was so thankful for her and the woman she had become. As he looked over at the woman sitting across from him, he smiled at her. Life was full of surprises and second chances. He was a very lucky man.

_I hope you're thankful for this unusually long chapter! Please review! More to come…_


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 24: Revenge Best Served Cold

As the professor dismissed them, Veronica looked smugly up at Logan. "I told you so!" Logan refused to acknowledge her reminder and did not take the bait. They headed out of class holding hands. Veronica said, "Just admit it, Logan! I was right! Our presentation rocked! I knew Timothy McVeigh was a perfect choice. Not only did no one else think to use a mass murder as a serial killer, but we got to demonstrate our brilliance by showing similarities between the Oklahoma City bomber and other classic serial killers." Her eyes danced with glee as she looked up at him in pride.

Logan stopped outside of the classroom building and turned to her in resignation. Her joy was infectious. He suppressed his own grin and instead gave a loud sigh in resignation. "Okay, okay! I admit it. You were right. Your choice _was_ brilliant. Satisfied?"

She gave him a naughty grin and answered, "Not yet. But I'm sure you can do something about that."

Logan returned her grin with a knowing one of his own and leaned in to give her the kiss she obviously wanted. It didn't take long before it quickly began to get out of hand. Veronica pulled back, breathing heavy. Logan gave her a smirk. "Careful, Mars, or people will think you're easy!"

"Easy, huh? Are you saying I don't make you work hard enough for it?" she stepped back with a pout.

Logan was about to reply when he noticed a small red dot on her neck. Dawning realization of what it was came over him as it quickly moved up to her forehead. Horror filled his face as he took a quick second to scan the surroundings. He heard someone shout Veronica's name.

"Logan?" Veronica questioned in confusion and growing nervousness at his expression. Logan didn't respond but immediately moved to stand in front of Veronica, blocking access to her.

No sooner did he do that when he felt a sharp stab between his shoulder blades. He opened his mouth to shout out a warning to Veronica but found he couldn't speak. Instead, he fell into her as things around him grow dimmer until everything faded to black.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	26. Chapter 26

**Lots of angst in this one. I hope you love it!**

Chapter 25: John 15:13 _No Greater Love…_

Weevil had just spotted V coming out of class with Logan. It was obvious by their body language that they were together again. His white chica loved to live dangerously. She just couldn't stay away from those bad boys. Weevil headed toward them, wanting to say hi and antagonize Logan by reminding Logan of his friendship with Veronica. He loved pissing Logan off. These days he had to find his thrills where he could. As he was walking toward them, he noticed something odd flickering on V's face. When he got a bit closer, he saw that there was a red dot on her face. In horrifying understanding, he began to run to her, knowing he wouldn't make it in time. He screamed her name in warning as Logan jumped in front of her.

Logan and Veronica were coming out of class. They were talking when Logan noticed a red scope dot on her face. He jumped in front of her a moment before the killer pulled the trigger. The bullet pierced Logan's lung; blood filled his mouth and spurted on Veronica. He fell heavily into her, knocking her to the ground as she yelled out his name in confused terror.

Weevil ran up to them, all the while pulling out his cell phone and dialing 911. He was the calm in the storm of insanity that had suddenly descended on this small liberal arts university. He reached the 911 dispatcher as he fell to the ground next to them and gave the dispatcher their location. He hung up and immediately called Keith Mars, whose number was still in Eli's phone from his short tenure as his employee. He didn't waste words on explanations. "Get to campus. Logan's been shot. We're in front of the psychology department. Assassin was gunning for V. He's still at large." He hung up before Keith could respond.

Veronica was screaming Logan's name over and over. Weevil pulled Logan off of her onto his back. Blood was everywhere. Weevil quickly assessed the damage and took off his outer work shirt and used it to compress the wound. Blood was coming out of Logan's mouth; Weevil suspected it was his lungs that had been hit. He knew this type of injury could be deadly. He couldn't bring himself to offer empty words of comfort to Veronica. Instead, he focused on Logan and keeping him from bleeding to death right in front of her.

Mac was having lunch with Dick in the school cafeteria when someone ran into the food court and screamed, "Logan Echoll's was just gunned down by someone in front of the psychology building!" Mac and Dick instantly jumped up in shocked horror at the news. Dick grabbed her hand, and they sprinted out of the food court and headed to the mentioned location. They heard sirens as they come upon the crowd in front of the building where the shooting was reported to have taken place. Dick pushed their way through the throng of people. Mac was shocked when she saw Veronica on the ground next to Logan covered in blood. She couldn't tell if Veronica was hurt. There was so much blood! She and Dick reached her side. Dick immediately took off his shirt and took over for Weevil whose compress was soaked through in Logan's blood.

Veronica was crying and leaning over Logan screaming, "Don't you die on me, Logan! Do you hear me? Don't you leave me!" Her agony was painfully obvious to the throng of strangers looking on. They whisper to one another, uncomfortable with the unfettered agony pouring out of Veronica. Mac was in stunned shock at the scene in front of her. She tried to ask Veronica if she had been hurt; however, Veronica was unable to see or hear anything but Logan. Mac thought Veronica was physically okay but worried she may just be in shock and didn't realize she was injured. Mac was relieved when she heard the sirens much closer.

Finally, the paramedics pushed through. They were loading Logan on the gurney when Keith Mars reached them. When he saw the blood covering his only child, his heart stopped. He ran to her and said frantically, "Are you hurt?" She couldn't seem to hear him; all her energy was focused on Logan. Keith gave her a light shake. "Veronica! Are you hurt? Is any of this your blood?" He grabbed her face and forced her to focus on his questions. Weevil answered for her and told the Sheriff that the single shot struck Logan only.

It finally registered to Veronica that her dad had arrived. She cried, "Daddy, Logan's been shot! Don't let him leave me, Daddy!" Her little girl cry to her father pained Keith to hear. For the first time, he was helpless to grant her request, knowing it was out of his hands. The paramedics pulled away with Logan, heading toward the ambulance. Veronica tried to run after them. The Sheriff told Dick and Mac to take her to Leo, and he would follow the ambulance to the hospital. Dick and Mac quickly led Veronica away.

Keith asked Weevil, "Where did the shot come from? Did you see anything?" Weevil told Keith what he witnessed and described how Logan took the bullet that was clearly meant for his daughter.

Mac was in the back of Leo's car with Dick and Veronica was between them. Dick was white and speechless. Mac was trying to console Veronica who was crying and saying over and over, "He can't die. Please, God, don't let him die!" Mac felt helpless to comfort her friend. She asked Leo if he would call Wallace and told them what was going on, knowing she was in no position to call and knowing Veronica would need Wallace. She rattled off his number. Then as an afterthought she added a request to call Duncan, too. She told Leo to let them both know to meet them at the hospital.

While they were racing to the hospital, the Sheriff and Weevil were combing the area looking for signs of the shooter. The order to lock down the campus was given. No one without clearance from Sheriff Mars was allowed to leave. Keith had the foresight to inform his men to allow Wallace and Duncan to leave if they are on campus. He knew they would be desperate to get to the hospital when they heard the news.

Weevil told Keith that since the shooter used a scope he was probably on top of one of the neighboring buildings. Fortunately, Weevil had keys to all the buildings and Keith did not have to waste any time tracking down keys or people to let him in. Together he and Weevil searched the buildings with his deputies until they found a roof with shell casings on it. Keith called the other deputies on his radio to gather evidence of what they found.

Weevil said to him, "This was clearly planned. They knew her schedule and laid in wait for her. Do you think they'll try again? Is V safe?"

Keith had the same thought and instructed Weevil to go to the hospital and stay on guard. He would send Weevil with a deputy that would also keep a watchful eye open for any suspicious threats. The Sheriff would follow as soon as he was sure the killer was no longer on campus. Weevil immediately agreed to follow his orders and headed downstairs with the deputy that had responded first to the Sheriff's call.

When Mac and Veronica got to the hospital they were told that Logan was rushed into surgery. He was still alive. They were instructed to go to the waiting room. An update would be given to them as soon as possible.

About twenty minutes or so had past when Duncan and Wallace made it in the waiting room. Wallace saw all the blood all over Dick and Veronica. "What's happened?" he asked them in horror. Dick was still unable to formulate words. He was frozen and just looked at them wordlessly. Mac moved over so Wallace could sit next to Veronica and Duncan sat on her other side.

Veronica looked to them and exclaimed, "Someone shot Logan! There was so much blood!" Wallace put his arm around her in comfort, and she cried into his chest, unable to stop the flow of tears.

Duncan asked Mac if she knew exactly what happened. Mac told him all she knew which wasn't much. They sat there in silence for another twenty minutes waiting when Weevil came in. They looked up when he entered. He asked if Logan was okay. Mac told him that he was alive and in surgery.

Weevil asked Duncan and Dick to step out in the hall. Veronica raised her head. Weevil was relieved to see the familiar fire in her eyes. "If you know something, Weevil, you say it now so I can hear!"

Weevil looked at Wallace knowing he knew her better than most anyone. He waited for Wallace to nod his head. Wallace believed that giving her something to think about besides Logan possibly dying would be good for her.

Weevil shared then what he knew and saw. Veronica didn't react well to the news that she was the target. Logan saw the red dot and took the bullet meant for her. Instead of crying harder like he expected, the news served to dry up her tears. She sat motionless and did not say a word. Her wordless reaction was disturbing to Weevil; it was very unVeronicalike.

Duncan stepped out in the hall to call CW. He told his trusted friend what had happened. He instructed, "Find out if Gory Sorokin called a hit on Veronica Mars. Spread the word that if there was any further attempts, someone will pay!" He hung up and went and asked the nurse for an update. They tried to give him the brush off. He rarely used his dad's connection or influence. However, there were times when it was necessary and this was one of those times. He informed them who he was. "My dad, Jake Kane, is on the board of trustees. Will someone please go find out if Logan is okay and what the doctor has to say?" One of the nurses told him that she would see what she could find out.

Duncan headed back to the waiting room. "I threw my weight around, and hopefully we'll know how Logan's doing soon," he explained to everyone.

Ten minutes or so later a resident showed up and gave them grim news. "It doesn't look good right now. They managed to remove the bullet that pierced his lung, but they're having trouble controlling the bleeding. He flatlined once."

Duncan asked the question that no one else could bring themselves to ask. "Is he going to make it?" The doctor looked at him and responded, "I don't know. I can't answer that. He's young and healthy. That always works in his favor. Attempts to stop the bleeding right away bought him crucial minutes. I won't lie to you, though. There's a strong chance he may not make it, but I can't say. You should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. Right now, no news is good news. As long as he's fighting to live, we will be fighting to save him. I'm going back in there. We'll update you as soon as the situation changes."

The doctor's words played over and over in Dick's mind. He sat in stunned disbelief. This could not be happening. To Dick, Logan was larger than life. He was closer to Logan than he'd been to his own late brother. He had no memory of his life before he was friends with Logan. Every memory of his late childhood and all his teens had Logan in them. Logan was one of his few friends that never gave him grief anytime Beaver tagged along. Early in their friendship, before Beaver trailing after him had become a habit, he'd complained to Logan about his mom making him bring Beaver. Logan had just smiled and said, "If I had a younger brother, he'd probably be following us, too." When Dick had offered to give him Cassidy, Logan had said that there could be worse things. "Cassidy isn't so bad. I always wanted a little brother. We can share yours." Then he jumped on Beaver and put him in a headlock, rubbing his head with his knuckles, making him laugh.

Dick looked at Mac and finally spoke, "Logan can't die! Who am I without him?" Then he finally began to cry, covering his face in his hand. Mac put her arms around him, bringing his head down until it rested on her chest. She hugged him tightly to her as her own tears slowly rolled down her cheeks.

Weevil was uncomfortable with all the emotion in the room. He had never cared enough about Casablancas to even have much of an opinion about him-thinking of him as mostly Logan's dumb stooge. But witnessing his naked grief shook Weevil even though most of the time that he had known Logan, he had hated him. His hatred began when Lilly left his bed that first time and went back to Logan. It burned him that Veronica Mars, the only white chica he'd ever respected and trusted fell for his pretty boy charm. The fact that he'd never really had romantic feelings for V made it easier to tolerate her attachment to Logan. Each time they broke up he had been relieved, never thinking Logan was worth the spit he shined his shoes with. Logan had earned his grudging respect when he'd hammered Sorokin, a job Weevil would've gladly done. Weevil wasn't surprised they'd gotten back together recently, but he still hadn't been convinced Logan was good enough for V. But after today, every misgiving he'd had was put to rest. For the first time, Weevil knew and understood that regardless of what a screw up Logan could be, he loved Veronica Mars enough to take a bullet for her. He couldn't ask for more for his friend. Looking at her now sitting there in frozen grief, he hoped Logan would pull through. God help whoever did this if he didn't. Looking at Duncan Kane and the anger on his face, Weevil knew that whoever shot Logan would pay sooner or later. If V didn't get to them first, Kane probably would.

The Sheriff was finally able to head to the hospital. The lockdown lifted on campus. The shooter had gotten away. If he was a professional like they thought, he probably had a clear exit strategy mapped out. No one saw anything but Logan getting shot and falling on top of his daughter. When he arrived at the hospital, he headed to the surgical waiting room, knowing that was where everyone would be waiting. He saw Eli standing outside the room. He stopped and asked him what the news was. They exchanged information. The Sheriff went in and saw his baby girl sitting motionless next to Wallace. Duncan got up when he spotted the Sheriff and gave him the seat he vacated. He sat next to his daughter and said, "Honey, I'm here."

Veronica looked at her dad. He had been her strong tower her entire life. He had never let her down. He would make sure Logan would be okay. "Daddy, don't let him die! It should've been me! _I_ was the target! It should've been me!" she wailed, breaking her silence.

Keith's heart broke as he looked at his brave, selfless daughter. She was the best thing he'd ever done; her innate goodness the best part of him. He put his arm around her, holding her close. She struggled, pulling away; she didn't want his comfort but wanted him to save Logan. He wouldn't let go. She beat her fists on his chest and shouted repeatedly, "It should've been me! It should've been me!"

Keith pulled her back and looked her in the eye. "Honey, Logan would strongly disagree. He loves you more than anything. He wouldn't want you to blame yourself. If he hadn't jumped in front of you, you'd be dead. How would we survive without you? Logan loved you enough to decide in an instant that you were worth dying for. I know that he would gladly give his life for you! He's going to pull through this, honey. I know it. A man doesn't love like that without fighting to get back to the woman he loves. It's going to be okay!"

Veronica looked at her dad and the wall she'd built up against the grief and fear when she'd heard that she had been the target came crumbling down. Pain filled ever part of her once again. She began sobbing. "I can't lose him, Daddy. I can't! We just got back together. We haven't had our chance yet. How can I live without him? What will I do if he dies?" Finally, she was crying too hard to formulate words. She kept seeing Logan smiling down at her right before his expression, and he jumped in front of her. The scene kept replaying in her mind over and over, the blood pouring out of him. Veronica couldn't help but think back to the worse night of her life when Beaver almost killed her, and she saw the plane blow up, convinced her dad was dead. The grief had overwhelmed her. Logan had been there to get her through the night. Fear consumed her when she woke up to the realization that she had to face the day believing her dad was gone. That had been the very worst moment of her existence. The relief of finding her dad alive shortly afterward had brought her pure joy. The thought of facing her life without her dad had been awful. But Logan had been there, and he would've helped her get through it. How could she survive if he didn't' make it? How could she live in this world knowing he wasn't in it? "Please, God, don't take him from me! I'll do anything! I need him!" She prayed silently.

She took a breath and said to her dad, "How can I bear it if he dies? We haven't had a chance to live our life together yet, Daddy. Please, don't let him die and leave me!" she begged as tears kept filling her luminous eyes, falling unchecked.

Keith hugged her tight, her unrelenting grief breaking his heart. He'd never felt so impotent in his life. His own eyes filled with tears as he prayed silently, begging God not to break his daughter's heart by taking the man she loved. Keith knew this moment would come. That one day his beloved little girl would fall in love with a man who'd take his place. Seeing his daughter suffer like this, Keith realized that she loved Logan more than anyone-even him. He didn't begrudge giving up the spot in his daughter's heart for a man willing to die so that his daughter may live. Keith had walked through fire once himself to save her and would gladly do it again. Regardless of the outcome, he knew Logan would feel the same way. Keith looked around the room at the friends who loved Logan like a brother and then rested his gaze once again on Veronica. Most would think that she was the glue that bound them altogether. However, Keith knew that wasn't so. Logan was her anchor and without him the group would splinter and shatter. Resolute, Keith would not allow himself to wonder how they all would survive without their friend. He knew Logan was strong. He knew Logan would pull through. He had to. God wouldn't be so cruel; Veronica had lost too much in her young life. He couldn't take Logan from her, too. He continued to hold on to his daughter as they all wait to hear news of Logan.

TO BE CONTINUED…

_Note on Chapter Title: John 15:13 "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends." New Living Translation._


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 26: Duncan's Decision

After what seemed like hours, the doctor came in. They all jumped up. The doctor told them that Logan was still alive. However, it was too soon to give a prognosis. Veronica collapsed in Keith's arms in relief. They were just so happy to hear he survived the surgery. Dick grabbed Mac in a bear hug and spun her around like he was prone to do. Duncan finally smiled for the first time since hearing the news of the shooting. The doctor went on to tell them that he had been put in a medically induced coma in order to give his body time to recover from the trauma. He was on a ventilator and could not yet breathe on his own. The next twenty-four hours were crucial, but if he stayed stable after that they would begin to revive him soon after. If he regained consciousness, it would be a good sign that he would make a full recovery. However, it was too early to know that for sure. It all depended on how he responded in the next twenty-four hours.

"When can we see him?" Veronica asked eagerly.

"In thirty minutes, he'll be out of recovery and into a private room. He can have two visitors at a time in ICU," the doctor told her.

Veronica and Dick headed in to visit first. Both were shaken to see him hooked up to monitors and a ventilator. Neither had ever seen him looking so still or weak. Veronica went over to him and took his hand. She leaned down to kiss him and whispered, "I love you, Logan. I'm here." She rose up and covered her face with her hands; the tears once again resurfacing. Dick put an arm around her. For the first time in the many years they had known one another, they leaned against each other for comfort, bound together by their mutual love and concern for Logan.

Everyone took a turn seeing Logan; Mac and Wallace went in next. Mac hated hospitals, especially after she had discovered she had been switched at birth at one. She knew better than anyone that hospitals could change the course of a person's life. It seemed like it was just the other day when Dick brought her here after Gory attacked them at the beach house. That time with Dick at her side was the only good memory she ever had at a hospital.

"Wallace, do you think Gory Sorokin did this?" she asked.

Wallace looked at his friend lying so still and then at Mac. "Well, who else could it be? We all heard him threaten to kill them. He said at Logan's party that he and V had a target on their back. I don't think any of us realized how serious he was about that. He has the money and connections to hire a hit man." Wallace didn't voice it to Mac, but he also knew that Duncan, Logan, and Dick did something to Gory to run him out of town. They were all really angry when they made the plans. So much so that they knew the plans they were making could not be shared with Veronica. Wallace could only imagine what they may have done that would have driven Gory to such an act of retaliation. He hoped Logan pulled through; he also prayed that the cycle of revenge and payback would end with this. Unfortunately, knowing his friends the way he did, he was not hopeful of a positive outcome in that regard.

"What are we going to do?" Mac asked fearfully. "Logan could still die, and Veronica is in danger. Why do things like this keep happening to us? First, the bus crash, then Cassidy, then the rapists, and now Logan getting shot and Veronica a target. I hate this!" Wallace pulled her into a tight hug. Both needed it right then. Neither of them could imagine a life without Veronica. Wallace was more used to fearing for his best friend than Mac, but he knew things had never been this bad before.

"I hate it, too. We'll do what we always do. We'll be here for Veronica no matter what happens. And Dick. I don't know who would fall apart more if Logan doesn't make it," Wallace observed.

Mac cannot even seriously contemplate Logan dying. Not only would it hurt her, but she didn't know if Veronica or Dick would survive his loss. At least not in one piece. She said, "I don't want to even think about it! You and I have become good friends with Logan the past several months. I can't imagine my own life without him, let alone fathom how Veronica or Dick would handle his loss.

Wallace agreed. "I know what you mean. I never would've believed it a year ago if anyone told me that I would one day consider Dick or Logan two of my closest friends. It's amazing how things can change on a dime."

Mac said, "Veronica and Logan are finally together and happy. Why can't they ever just be allowed to be happy? What's wrong with the world?"

"People are haters, Mac. Veronica is special, and people know it and are threatened by that."

"Logan is so brave. I can't say I'm surprised he would take a bullet for her. I don't know if I would be brave enough to do that for anyone," Mac admitted to Wallace.

"Sure you would. When you love someone, it's just instinctive. You don't even stop to think that you could get injured or killed. You are just thinking about protecting the person you love. If you saw someone about to shoot Veronica, you'd do the same thing," he assured her.

"Do you really think so?" Mac asked.

"Yes, I do. That's just the kind of girl you are. Not to mention, our girl Veronica brings that type of thing out in us!" Wallace declared. Mac smiled at him in agreement. She was so glad to have made so many good friends like Wallace and Veronica. Her life had changed so much since meeting them.

They walked out of Logan's room and allowed Keith and Duncan to take their turn visiting. Mac headed to Dick, needing his arms around her. When he saw Mac head toward him, he rose from his seat. He knew instinctively what she needed and opened his arms to her. She walked into his embrace, laying her head against his chest. Words were not necessary between them. Both were feeling the same thing; both needed the comfort only the other could provide.

After a few minutes, Wallace finally said to Veronica and Dick, "I think we should go down to the chapel and say a prayer for Logan. Do you want to go?"

Everyone agreed that would be a good idea. They needed to feel like they were doing something to help him. Feeling helpless in the face of his suffering was weighing all of them down.

Back in Logan's hospital room, Duncan and Keith stood in silence as they looked at Logan lying in a place they'd never seen him before. Keith became angry when he saw Logan hooked up to the machines. This should not have happened! He hated to see young people suffer, especially if it was someone he knew and cared about. Keith could tell Duncan was also angry seeing Logan in such a state. However, Duncan's anger worried Keith.

"Don't worry, Duncan. Logan is strong. He's going to pull through this I know it," he assured him.

"I believe he will. It just enrages me to think that Sorokin took things this far. I thought we made it really clear to him to leave town and drop this stupid vendetta. I'm angry at myself for not taking his threats more seriously," Duncan admitted.

Keith said, "Who can predict something like this? No one likes to imagine that anyone we know is capable of such a thing. Nor do we like to waste time worrying about every possible thing that could go wrong. As fathers, we have enough to worry about just getting our girls to adulthood. You have a lot more worrying in your future, unfortunately, Duncan."

"I can't even think about Lily growing up right now!" Duncan exclaimed. "What if Gory tried something like this when Veronica was with her? My daughter _and_ your daughter could both either die or be where Logan is now."

"That's not going to happen!" Keith insisted. "I've got deputies posted, and I'm using some P.I. contacts I have to locate Gory's whereabouts. We'll bring him in."

"Well, either _you _take care of him or I _will_. And that's a promise!" Duncan demanded.

Keith shook his head. "You can't go around making idle threats, Duncan. A man in your position especially has to be careful what he says and does. You must think of Lily. The Mannings would use any opportunity they could to take her from you or make things complicated for you. Not to mention, I'm lawfully bound to investigate _anyone_ who commits a crime like the one you're implying."

"I can take care of my daughter as far as the Mannings are concerned. But my threat isn't idle. There had better not be any more attempts on Logan or Veronica, or I will use all my family's vast resources to hunt Sorokin to the ends of this earth. And that's a promise," Duncan told the Sheriff. He meant every word. He knew it wasn't wise to share such things with Keith Mars because he was more than just Veronica's dad. He was an honest man who would always dig for the truth and fight for justice. Veronica was her father's daughter after all. He turned to leave Logan's side. Not willing anymore to see his friend in such a condition.

Keith looked after him in concern. He hoped that Duncan was just venting and that he wouldn't do anything foolish. He daughter would need Duncan if the worse happened with Logan. And if Logan pulled through like Keith believed he would, neither Logan nor Veronica would be happy if Duncan did something that would cause Keith to have to arrest him.

After they had all went to the chapel to pray for Logan, Veronica had felt a peace come over her. She had to believe that he would survive; they'd get through this like they had so many other things. As she and Dick kept vigil the hours after his surgery, her confidence remained strong. When visiting hours ended, the nurse tried to tell them they all had to leave. Duncan went home to Lily. Wallace and Mac both went home also because they had early classes they could not miss in the morning. However, Veronica and Dick refused to leave. Neither could begin to bring themselves to think of class or to even care much about it. It just didn't seem important to either of them. The Sheriff used his position to get them permission even though they weren't blood relatives. Veronica called Trina and told her about Logan's condition. She wasn't sure if Trina was going to come or not, but she thought Logan's only family should know. The Sheriff posted a deputy by the room in case another attempt was made against Veronica or Logan. Weevil also volunteered to stand guard outside the room. He figured another pair of eyes couldn't hurt.

Logan survived the first twenty-four hours. Both Veronica and Dick rejoiced at the small victory. They began to become more hopeful that he would pull through. The waiting was tough, but they found their long history provided them with more to talk about than either initially would have thought. Veronica shared with Dick some of the things she and Logan had worked through to get where they were. Dick admitted to Veronica how angry it made him that she seemed to hold Logan to an unfair standard. He didn't think breaking up with Logan over Madison's stunt was justifiable. He made a point of reminding Veronica how calculating and sneaky Madison was. Dick doubted Logan was even remotely sober when his lapse in judgment happened. Veronica shared some with Dick how Madison had made her feel when she and Mac ran into that day at the lingerie shop. Veronica was surprised at how easy it was to talk to Dick about things she would have never attempted to before the current events had unfolded. Things had begun to change between them for the better ever since he had apologized for Shelly Pomrey's party. She began to understand more why Mac was still dating him. For the first time, Veronica also began to believe that maybe she and Dick could be real friends some day. Naturally, Dick's loyalty to Logan already cemented Veronica as a friend as far as he was concerned. Veronica just didn't take real friendships for granted and valued those more that she built slowly and carefully.

Two days later, very late at night, Logan began to stir. Pain and a sense of unease brought him to consciousness. He wanted to shout out a warning to Veronica but could not speak. He moved his body enough to get attention from the nurse aide that was checking up on him. Veronica and Dick had stepped out to stretch their legs and to get something to snack on in the cafeteria downstairs. The nurse aid quickly paged the doctor that was on call.

Logan wanted to stay awake but could not seem to fight off the weariness that came over him. He quickly faded.

Veronica had left her cell number with the nurse aide when she and Dick went to grab a bite. The aide promised to text her if there were any changes in Logan's condition. When her phone beeped and she read the text, she jumped up.

"Dick, we've gotta go upstairs. Logan is trying to wake up!" Dick immediately followed her out of the food area; their food forgotten.

When they got up to Logan's room, the doctor was in there with him.

She said, "Doctor, what's happening?"

The doctor smiled, "Good news. He's fighting the ventilator, so that tells us he definitely doesn't need to be on it. He can breathe on his own." Dick and Veronica were relieved to get the news. Both pulled out their phones to call their friends, not caring about the lateness of the hour. Dick called Mac and Duncan. Veronica called Keith and Wallace. She didn't call Weevil because she knew that he'd be by soon.

Weevil had been spending the better part of the night (either early in the evening or very early in the morning) outside Logan's room, standing guard. He did not have much faith in Neptune's Sheriff department to keep Veronica safe even though Keith Mars was running things. Old habits die hard. After his boys betrayed him, Veronica had been the only real friend he could always count on. There was no way he would allow anything to happen to her as long as he could do something to prevent it.

A few hours later, Logan once again fought his way back to consciousness. The ventilator had been removed, and he was relieved to discover that he could talk. He whispered, "Veronica." He said it again a little louder.

Instantly, Veronica awoke from the exhausted slumber she had fallen into. "Logan!" She moved to his side to see him finally open his amber eyes. She called Dick's name, and he, too, jerked awake. They both leaned over Logan. He looked up and said, "Veronica. Are you okay?" She grabbed his hand and assured him that she was fine.

Logan looked at her and smiled weakly and then saw Dick. He struggled to formulate words, exhaustion weighing him down. Finally, he spit out, "Dick, keep her safe." He wanted to say more but was once again pulled under, sleep claiming him.

Veronica and Dick were both so relieved that Logan woke up even if it was just for a moment. Dick's joy knew no bounds, and he grabbed Veronica and pulled her into a bear hug that lifted her off her feet. Veronica, too, was so ecstatic that she actually allowed Dick the touch he always seemed to need. Dick told Veronica that she should go home and get a few hours rest and come back. He would stay with Logan until she returned. Veronica reluctantly agreed to leave because she knew that later in the morning Logan would have a better chance of being stronger and able to really talk to her. She told Dick that she would call Wallace and Duncan with an update; she knew he would call Mac.

Several hours later, Logan once again opened his eyes, thirst driving him awake. He saw Dick; he called out to him. Dick was asleep in a chair. Logan wished that he had the strength to throw something at Dick to gain his attention. He tried again in a louder voice. "Dick!" Dick finally heard him and opened his eyes. Logan said, "Dick, I'm really thirsty!"

Dick jumped up, excited to see Logan alert and went to his side. "Logan, you're awake! How do you feel?"

Logan said, "I've been better. My mouth's dry."

Dick didn't take the hint and looked at Logan in relief. He was so glad to see him awake. He said to Logan, "You scared us to death. We weren't sure you were going to make it. Dude, that's so not cool!"

Logan smiled at him, knowing what was unsaid. "I love you, too, Dick. Now get me some damn water!" Dick grinned and finally moved to grant Logan his request.

After quenching his thirst, he asked, "Where's Ronnie?"

"She should be back in a few hours. She didn't leave your side until you woke up earlier. I made her go home get some rest," Dick told him. "Don't worry, one of the Sheriff's deputies escorted her to her dad's. She's safe," Dick assured him before he got a chance to ask. Logan gave him a grateful smile.

Logan didn't have to ask if Dick had been here the whole time because he knew instinctively that he had. Affection for his best friend rose inside of him. "Dick, thanks for being here and taking care of Veronica. You're the best friend I've ever had. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Dick gave him an embarrassed smile, but said simply, "You're my brother, dude. My only family. It's what brothers do."

Logan smiled in acknowledgment as his eyes closed again. He couldn't believe how tired he was.

Dick saw that his friend was once again asleep. He was so unbelievably relieved that Logan was going to be okay. He didn't know what he would do without Logan in his life. He had never been so scared. When Beaver died, it was in an instant and Dick had never had a chance to be afraid for him. Dick hoped the danger was past. He didn't know how to process the fact that someone tried to kill Ronnie. He just knew he didn't want to relive another few days like the ones he just had.

It was later the next morning when Veronica came in to relieve Dick. She had rested and showered. She insisted that Dick finally go home and do the same, and she would stay the day with Logan. He told her that Logan had woken up again a few hours after she had left and was stronger. Dick gave her a hug goodbye and left to follow her advice.

An hour later, Logan awoke when a nurse came in to check his vitals. He smiled in pleasure when he saw Veronica sitting in the chair Dick vacated reading a book.

"Hey, pretty lady! What's a man gotta do to get some TLC around here?"

She looked up and smiled, quickly going to his side. She grabbed his hand and leaned in to give him a kiss in greeting, relieved that he sounded more like his old self. She asked the nurse who was about to leave how he was doing. The nurse told her that his vitals were normal. The worse was over. Veronica was so happy to hear that.

When the nurse left, Veronica looked at Logan and started to cry in relief. She tried not to because she didn't want to upset Logan, but she couldn't seem to stop. The past few days had been a roller coaster of events. She felt like she was in an emotional overload. Logan moved over as much as he could manage and pulled her down next to him. She was afraid to hurt him, but he told her that it was okay. She rested her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her in comfort.

"Hey, it's okay, Veronica. I'm okay," he assured her.

"I was so scared, Logan! I've had some terrifying moments in my life but nothing was worse than the few hours when I thought you might die. Not even the night I thought my dad was dead was as awful," she confessed to him as she fought to regain her composure.

"I'm sorry, hon, that you had to go through that," he said.

She rose up enough to look him in the eyes and told him, "You don't get to die on me, Logan. Do you hear me? I won't allow it!"

"You won't, huh?" he asked, smiling at her. "Well, it's a good thing I don't plan on dying for a long time. I told you that you're stuck with me! I'm not going anywhere!"

"I love you so much, Logan and the thought of you dying on me terrifies me! What were you think jumping in front of me like that?" she scolded.

"I was thinking you were literally marked for death, and there was no way I was going to stand there and watch you die right in front of me!" he insisted.

"Well, I would never want to live knowing my life cost you yours!" she argued, tearing up again at the thought.

"If given a choice, I'd do the same thing, Veronica. Don't you know by now that I would be unable to survive in a world that you were not in? I love you more than anything in this world or the next. I love you more than my own life!" he exclaimed.

She wordlessly looked at him as he wiped the tears from her cheeks. He kissed her cheek and said, "Don't cry anymore, please. It hurts me to see you upset."

She took a deep breath and then gave him a steely look, "Next time knock me to the ground! Don't stand there with a target on your back waiting to be shot!"

He looked sheepishly at her and admitted, "I wasn't trying to. I intended to do just that when I realized what I was seeing. It happened so fast! Did they catch the shooter?"

Veronica told him no and then filled him in on what Weevil and her dad told her they had discovered.

"So it was definitely premeditated _and_ Weevil's quick actions saved my life? I don't know which news is worse!" he groaned. "Weevil will never let me forget it either!"

Hearing a familiar complaint about his rival and nemesis made Veronica smile in relief. He really was okay. Snuggling into his side, she turned on the TV. She turned it to the news. There was a late breaking story.

_News Anchor: "We've just gotten confirmation that Logan Echolls, son of former Hollywood royalty Aaron and Lynn Echolls, sustained his recent life threatening gunshot wounds by taking the bullet that was meant for his longtime high school sweetheart, Veronica Mars. We are going to go to our reporter, Stacy Jones, who is on the campus of Hearst in Neptune, California where the shooting took place. Go ahead, Stacy."_

_Stacy Jones: "Thanks, Karen. We confirmed with the Neptune Sheriff's Department that the rumors spreading on campus are true. The Sheriff, Keith Mars, is the father of the intended victim, Veronica Mars. Sources that were close by when the shooting took place have given statements to the police that the shooter had a target on Veronica Mars, Logan's girlfriend. Logan saw the threat to Veronica. He then stepped in front of her mere moments before the bullet struck him instead of Veronica. Here with me are two girls that were coming out of class behind Logan and Veronica. Ashley and Trisha are both friends and classmates of Logan and Veronica. Ladies tell us what occurred."_

_Ashley: "It was the bravest thing I ever saw!_

_Trisha: "Logan was like a real live action hero!"_

_Reporter: "Did you see the target on Veronica?"_

_Ashley: "No, we were behind them. I was about to congratulate them on the awesome presentation they had just given in our psychology class when Logan stopped and looked around strangely."_

_Trisha: "Someone yelled Veronica's name, and then Logan jumped in front of Veronica."_

_Ashley: "That's when he got shot. It was awful! Blood came out of his mouth!"_

_Trisha: "That's when he collapsed on Veronica, and they fell to the ground. Blood was everywhere!" (She said dramatically)_

_Ashley: "Then some guy runs up and calls 911 and pulled Logan off of Veronica and used his shirt to try and stop the bleeding. There was so much blood!" (The girls are both noticeably upset to recall the details)_

_Reporter: "I know it's awful to recount such a horrible experience. Our prayers are with Logan. Thanks, ladies." (Turning to the camera) "The university has issued a statement confirming that the bystander who called 911 was a school employee named Eli Navarro. His quick thinking may have saved Logan's life. We've tried to get an interview with the elusive Mr. Navarro, but he has declined to comment. Sources say he went to school with both Veronica and Logan at Neptune High."_

Logan grabbed the remote and turned it off in disgust. "Great! Now everyone will be saying my name in the same breath they're saying Weevil's!"

Veronica grinned, "Well, you _are_ both genu_ine_ heroes! I, for one, am very grateful to Weevil. I was at a complete loss and mostly useless. I'm not sure what I would've done if he hadn't been there." It upset her to think about it.

Logan had a resigned expression and admitted, "Well, lucky for us he was. Don't worry. I'll thank him as soon as I can."

Veronica smiled, "Weevil's a good man, Logan. I've always believed that. He's my friend. He has been standing guard for hours the past few nights outside the room, not trusting Dad's deputies enough to keep both of us safe."

"Really?" Logan asked in surprise. "I'm glad someone had the foresight to do that. The thought of another attempt being made on you is more than I can bare!"

Veronica smiled. "Weevil made sure nothing happened. At least not on his watch! You and he are more alike than you know."

Logan scoffed, "I doubt that!"

"No, seriously, you both are fiercely loyal and will go to any lengths to help a friend," she explained. "You're both brave and strong and can get people to easily follow you. Not to mention, both of you are insanely protective!"

Logan couldn't deny that particular point and didn't want to argue with her anyway. "Maybe."

They sat in silence a few moments, Veronica's head resting on his shoulder. Finally, she asked in a small voice, "Logan, who do you think wants me dead?"

"There's only one person I can think of. Gory Sorokin. He bided his time. He probably hired a professional from Chicago," Logan said.

"I really thought this year was going to be different," she said sadly.

"Hey, honey, it _is_ different. We've had a great semester except for a few hiccups," Logan insisted.

"Hiccups? Is that what we're calling you almost dying and leaving me?" she asked in outrage.

"I'm fine. This won't happen again. I'm not going anywhere, Veronica. You and I finally have a chance to build a life together, and I'll be damned if I'll let anyone take it away from us! We've fought too hard to get where we are now!" he insisted emphatically.

"I couldn't agree more!" a new voice said. They looked up and saw that Duncan had come in. "I'm so glad to see you're feeling better, Logan. You really scared us for a few hours there," Duncan said with a grim smile.

"So I've heard. I'm okay. There's some pain, but I've felt worse," Logan responded casually. "Have you found out anything about the shooter?"

"I've got Weidman checking in on it. If Gory put out a hit on Veronica or you, we'll know soon," Duncan told them.

"I can't believe he'd take it this far!" Veronica exclaimed.

"Some guys don't know when to quit," Duncan remarked.

"Well, Duncan, since you're here. I'm going to go down to the cafeteria and grab something to eat. Can I get anyone anything?" Veronica inquired.

Duncan said no but Logan would like an orange juice. As soon as she walked out of the room, Logan looked at his oldest friend and said, "Have you really not found out anything for sure?"

Duncan responded, "Well, we know Gory is still in Chicago. He's not left. We also know that this was definitely a professional hit. The Sheriff thinks so, too. The shooter was on top of a classroom building. He knew Veronica's schedule and was waiting for her to come out of class. CW is following some leads. If it was Gory that ordered the hit, we will know for sure soon."

With Duncan, Logan was finally able to express his real feelings about the events that went down. "I hate that I'm stuck in this bed right now! I'm so furious! First, my dad, then Beaver, then Moe and Mercer! Veronica has had too many men trying to kill or hurt her in the past few years! Except this time I'm not the son or the best friend. Nor am I still in high school. You know, DK, I never wanted to believe I had any part in me from my dad. But I know understand that I do. I know now that I'm _more than_ capable of killing Gory with my own bare hands!"

Duncan said, "Yeah, well, when someone we love is killed or threatened, our instinct is to protect or end the threat. And sometimes it's to punish. It doesn't make you your father, Logan. You are _not_ anything like him. He preyed on innocent young girls or helpless women. That isn't you. Don't worry; we'll take care of Gory together. I got your back on this."

Logan flashed him a grateful smile. "Thanks, man. I'm really glad you came back. I know I can count on you to keep Ronnie safe while I'm in here."

Duncan gave Logan his first genuine smile since he came in. "Always, buddy. Always. You and Ronnie are my family, Logan. I know I haven't always watched out for her like I should've, but I know if Lilly was still alive she'd personally hire a dozen bodyguards to protect Veronica and wouldn't listen to any of her protests!"

Logan smiled in agreement. "Yeah, no one could get Veronica to do things she didn't really want to do like Lilly could. Too bad you and I never managed to acquire that particular gift!" They shared a grin.

Duncan could see that Logan was starting to fade. He then told Logan, "Well, I'm going to leave you to rest and follow up with CW. I'll let you know if there are any new developments."

"I appreciate it. Thanks!" Logan replied.

As Duncan left Logan's hospital room he made the third irrevocable decision of his life and called CW. Logan was wrong-he didn't have it in him to kill Gory. Sure, he may be capable of doing the deed in anger, but Duncan knew Logan inside and out. He knew Logan would never recover from such an act. It would destroy him, and it would for sure destroy any hope of a future with Veronica. No, Logan was not his father. He didn't have it in him to kill. At least not to do it and walk away whole.

The phone connected. "CW, did you confirm that Gory was behind the hit?...He was?..You're sure?...Okay…Yes, take him out. Some animals just need to be put down. The next time he decides to go after Veronica, Lily could be there…Thanks. Call me when it's done."

Duncan hung up the phone, feeling both relieved and satisfied. No, Logan didn't have it in him to kill, but Duncan did. He accepted that part of his nature awhile ago. He lost his sister because he never allowed himself to get involved in her life or tried to curtail her behavior. He lost Veronica once because he sat back and let things happen. He almost lost his daughter, too, by doing the same thing. Never again would he sit back and let things happen in his life. Nor would he allow anyone who posed a threat to his daughter or his friends to continue living. One thing he did learn from his dad in business was that someone had to be willing to make the tough choices. It was the least Duncan could do for his oldest and closest friends. And unlike Logan, Duncan knew he'd be able to sleep just fine at night with his decision.

_I hope you know what the two irrevocable decisions Duncan is referring to are-having Aaron killed and running off with his daughter. I'm not trying to make Duncan a bad guy. Some will think his choices make him one. I don't. I'm trying to show why he would and what events led him to become the man his now-the man who could easily make the call to end Gory's life. _


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 27: Facing Ugly Truths

From a scholastic point of view, Logan getting shot and his recovery couldn't have happened at a worse time. It was dead week when it occurred-the week before finals. Because he was feeling stronger, Veronica and all of his friends took turns being with him. They had to arrange their visits around their final schedules. Sometimes they took their books and studied just so he wouldn't have to be alone. Logan insisted he could manage just fine. However, Veronica was adamant that he not spend much of his day time hours by himself. She had a hard enough time leaving him. Nevertheless, Logan knew she was a scholarship student and convinced her to finish her semester in good standing. She only agreed to do so when their friends rallied around him and agreed to keep him company as much as possible. Even Jazmin took a few turns sitting with him. She had the lightest finals load; she also never felt the need to stress out over tests. Either she knew the material or she didn't. Veronica couldn't quite understand that attitude, but Logan appreciated it. It was one he always had himself. Logan enjoyed getting to know Veronica's new friend. She was always willing to play cards with him. He soon learned she was a card shark like Veronica, so he quickly learned not to bet any real money. All of Logan's professors but one allowed him to be exempt from his finals. They just gave him whatever grade he already had in the class. He would have one incomplete until he made up the final next semester.

Logan's sister Trina surprised Veronica by showing up the day after he was conscience and off the venalator. Although Veronica was naturally suspicious of her motives due to the many cameras that haunted the hospital parking lot, she seemed genuinely upset at his brush with death. She managed to stay a full night and day by Logan's side. Logan was really happy that she came and told Veronica that they had a long talk. Trina still couldn't reconcile the Aaron Logan knew with the one she knew, but she finally acknowledged that Logan wasn't lying about all the abuse at Aaron's hands growing up. Logan told her that it was okay for her to love Aaron; she just couldn't expect Logan to share her feelings or be upset that he didn't. Logan shared with Trina how much it upset him that she tried to paint this rosy picture of their childhood. In Trina's mind, it _had_ been idyllic. However, she agreed to stop giving interviews and discussing it with strangers. The thought of losing the only family she had left really scared her. It shook her up enough to grant Logan's request and to open up and share with him.

Veronica was really relieved to see them finally connect as adults for the first time. She got Trina to agree to come back in a few weeks and spend Christmas with them. She knew it would mean a lot to Logan. It made her hope that maybe someday he would also manage to finally connect with the real Charlie Stone, his half brother. In exchange for Trina's concessions and good behavior, Veronica asked Trina if she'd be willing to make a statement to the press and answer questions. They were all sick of the many requests they were getting. They also hoped if she answered some of their questions the attention would die down some until he was released. Naturally, Trina was thrilled at the opportunity to have the spotlight and the sympathy. Logan and Veronica went over with her what she could and could not say. They were happy and relieved when she managed to mostly stick to the outline they gave her.

About five days after he was shot, Duncan came by to take his turn sitting with Logan. He also came with news that Logan needed to know. He debated on what to tell Logan, but then he decided to be upfront with his friend. Logan deserved to know the truth. It would be up to Logan to decide what to tell Veronica.

"Hey, Duncan. I see it's finally your turn to babysit. You should've brought Lily with you. It seems like forever since I've seen her," Logan said.

"She wouldn't do so well for a long visit. I'll bring her by for a short visit in the morning. She has been asking about you. She misses her 'Logie'," he shared with a grin. Logan was happy to hear that. "How are you feeling today?" Duncan asked.

"Good. I should be released in a few days. They've been letting me get up and take some walks. I get winded easily. It's uncomfortable, but if I lay here all day long I'll never get stronger. As it is, I'm not going to be able to go surfing anytime soon. I'm going to have to come up with a new hobby for a few months," he complained.

"How about scrapbooking?" Duncan offered with a grin.

"Uh, no. I'm injured not dying!" Logan scoffed. "Maybe I'll join the chess club. At least that requires intellect. Do they even have a chess club at Hearst?"

Duncan smiled and shrugged in response. "Well, you could try the school paper. You know you have a knack for words and writing even though you try to hide it."

Logan acknowledged his observation with a half smile. "So any news?"

"Well, yes. CW did confirm Gory was behind the hit," Duncan revealed.

"How does he find out these things?" Logan asked.

"Well, he used to be with the FBI and spent time undercover with the Italian mob, so he has some valuable connections both with the FBI and with the underworld," Duncan explained. "He was positive that Gory ordered the hit. Predictably, Gory couldn't resist bragging about it to some people who knew some people etc."

"He'll never learn," Logan said with disgust. "So what's the plan?"

Duncan hesitated. He believed Logan was strong enough to handle the news Duncan had. However, he knew it would be a test of their friendship. "Well, you're not going to like this, but the situation has already been handled."

"What do you mean?" Logan asked puzzled.

"You know what I mean," Duncan answered evasively.

"No. I don't. You need to spell it out for me," Logan demanded even though he had his suspicions.

"When CW told me that he was certain that Gory was behind the hit I knew we couldn't waste any time and that I needed to take decisive action," Duncan explained.

Logan was unsure of how to respond because he still wasn't completely sure what Duncan had done. "Okay, so what course of action did you decide we should take?"

"There's no 'we' in this one, Logan. I made the decision because I did not want you to be involved. I don't care what you say; you are NOT like your father. I gave Weidman the order to take Gory out," Duncan said calmly.

"'By take him out' I'm assuming you mean that you ordered him to be killed?" Logan asked for clarification. When Duncan nodded his head in the affirmative Logan said, "Damn it, Duncan! That wasn't a call for you to make by yourself! This is about me! And it's about the woman _I _love! I am not a child for you to clean up after!" he yelled angrily.

"I love Veronica, too, Logan! Next to Lily there isn't anyone I love more, and you know it. Now I know she picked you, and I'm okay with that. I know we were over a long time ago but that doesn't mean I care any less. It doesn't mean she's not important to me. And it doesn't mean that I'm going to let you do anything to destroy her happiness! And if you had anything at all to do with killing Gory not only would it destroy you, but it would destroy your relationship with Veronica! She would never be able to get past it, especially if she sticks with the career path she has decided on," Duncan insisted unapologetically.

Logan said heatedly, "That's not your problem, Duncan! You did not have the right to make that kind of unilateral decision! Not for something that important!"

"It's because it _is_ that important that I did it anyway, Logan," Duncan declared. "You've been my best friend my entire life. We've not always seen eye to eye on things, and we may not ever see eye to eye on this. That's okay. You don't have to agree, but you have to accept that it's done. He's dead. He can't threaten you or Veronica or anyone else anymore. I'm sorry, Logan. I had to do it. I knew with certainty that this was not something you could truly stomach being a part of. You are _not_ your father. Now he was a man who needed to be put down."

"Yeah, and I bet you were the one who did that, too!" Logan exclaimed, still mad.

Duncan looked at Logan to see if he really wanted him to address that particular potential landmine. "Do you really want me to answer that, Logan? Do you? Because I will."

"No, you don't need to say it. I know that you probably ordered your hired killer, the head of your security, to do it. I'm not stupid, Duncan. Of course, Veronica would be shocked and appalled if she knew because in her mind you're the perfect gentleman who would never be so calculating or cold," Logan said disdainfully.

"There was nothing cold about the decision to make sure my sister's killer gets punishment! Nothing!" Duncan said hotly.

They both stopped and looked at each for a few minutes without saying anything more. Neither knew what they should say next.

Finally, Duncan offered, "Say something."

"What do you want me to say?" Logan inquired.

"Say you don't hate me. Say you understand. Say we're still friends," Duncan said.

Logan looked at him in resignation and acceptance. "No, I don't hate you. Yes, I suppose I do understand. And yes, we're still friends."

"I'm sorry, Logan," Duncan offered.

Logan didn't answer him for a few minutes. He needed some time to figure out how to respond to what Duncan was really asking of him. Finally, he answered. "It's okay. You don't really owe me an apology. I know why you acted without me. I don't like it, but I guess I do understand. I suppose I should thank you for watching out for me, but I don't think I will," Logan said with smirk.

Duncan was relieved. "No, you don't owe me a thanks. I owe you one for not giving up on our friendship. I know I've crossed lines no friend should ever cross."

Logan responded, "Gory is one thing, but my father is another. I told you once that I hated my father, too. You can't begin to understand the depth of hatred I have for him. Yes, I know you hated him for killing Lilly and probably for the affair. But I hated him for a life time of abuse. For killing my mother because he did that as surely as he killed Lilly. For trying to kill Veronica. The list is endless. The memories will never fade. The scars never completely heal. It's a hated legacy I've inherited from dear ol'dad. I don't know if I can ever dare to father my own children some day. _But_ I take comfort in knowing that he isn't around to get his hands on them if I do. I take comfort in knowing he's not around to make my life hell because the day he died he had already made it really clear to me that he was planning to. So, yes, I do owe you a thanks. Others may judge us differently for both our feelings and our actions, but between you and me there is an understanding. We don't need to talk about it again, but I want you to know that I for one am glad Lilly's killer got what he deserved."

Duncan revealed for the first time evidence of his own vulnerability to Logan. He was noticeably affected by Logan's words. It took a minute before he could respond. He said simply, "Thanks Logan."

"Now I don't want you to get in the habit of calling up your friend CW to take care of things!" Logan said only half joking.

"Don't worry, Logan. I won't. I'm hoping our life can get back to normal. Maybe you can keep that girl of yours occupied enough to stay out of trouble and keep her from pissing anyone off!" Duncan joked.

Speaking of Veronica, she had pushed open the doors to Logan's room just in time to overhear Duncan's last quip. "Hey, I resemble that remark!" She gave Duncan a saucy grin and kissed him on the cheek. "Don't I get some credit for not making any _new_ enemies this semester?"

"Yes, dear, you definitely do!" Logan said as he grabbed her hand and tugged her down toward him. He kissed her hello with enthusiasm. "And when I feeling better I'll thank you some more," he told her as he leered suggestively at her. She grinned in response, very happy to see him sounding more like his old self.

Duncan laughed. "Well, it looks like you're in good hands so I'm going to take off. I'll bring Lily by in the morning, Logan. I'll let you decide on what you may or may not want to share with V. Take care you two!" He ducked out before Logan could give him a dirty look for bringing up the talk in front of Veronica. Duncan knew that she wouldn't stop digging until Logan told her something.

Sure enough, she said, "Okay, so what did I miss? Spill!"

Logan gave her a considering look and then decided he was done protecting Veronica from who Duncan really was. "Are you sure you really want to know? I don't want to keep things from you, but you need to know that the rose colored glasses you wear when you look at Duncan will be shattered for all time if I spill. Do you really want that?"

"I thought we put that to rest, Logan. I don't wear rose colored glasses with Duncan. I just see him a different way than you do," she insisted.

"Okay, I tried to warn you. Don't kill the messenger. And what I tell you can't be repeated to anyone. Not Mac nor Wallace and especially not your dad," Logan warned. "Go shut the door. No one can overhear this."

"Now you've got me worried. Go ahead. I'm listening," she said after she complied with his request.

Logan looked at her a moment wanting to be sure telling her everything was the right choice to make. He decided that if it ever came to light and she found out he knew and kept it from her, it would be worse for him in the end. "Duncan was just telling me that Weidman confirmed that Gory Sorokin was behind the shooting."

"He was? He's sure?" she asked.

"Positive. And Duncan said he 'took care of it' so we don't have to worry," Logan told her using air quotes for emphasis. But she wasn't getting it.

"How did he take care of it?" she asked, puzzled.

"He took care of it the way rich men often take care of things, Veronica. He ordered his own hired thug, Weidman, to kill Gory," Logan explained.

"What? That can't be true! Why would you say such a thing?" she accused, standing up.

"Wow! And you keep insisting I'm overreacting about Duncan and you don't think he's better than me, yet you can't conceive of him doing anything remotely immoral or wrong! Color me NOT surprised!" Logan sarcastically replied. "It's the truth, Veronica, and if you don't believe me, you can call Duncan and ask him for yourself. He told me and I quote, 'I gave Weidman the order to take Gory out' end quote."

Veronica looked at him in shock. "He had Gory killed? Just like that?"

Logan couldn't help but be rankled by her disbelief. "Yes, Veronica. Just like that Duncan Kane, your ideal knight in shining armor, ordered the death of the man who tried to kill you and shot me."

"What was he thinking? I can't believe he went so far!" Veronica exclaimed in disbelief.

"Well, believe it. I've tried to tell you that you didn't know Duncan as well as you think you did. Who do you think had my dad killed?" Logan demanded determined that for once Veronica know who Duncan really was.

"What? You've got to be kidding! He was on the other side of the country, Logan. There's no way he did that! That was just a few months after he left. There's no way he could do something like that so soon after…" she stopped.

"So soon after what? So soon after leaving you? He couldn't do something so unthinkable so soon after having loved and lost you?" Logan asked. "Well, I hate to break it to you, Veronica, but he did. He even admitted it to me. He told me that he knew I didn't have it in me to kill Gory, and if I tried it would destroy me; it would destroy us. But he knew he could do it because he's done it before.

"That doesn't mean he ordered Aaron's death," she insisted, not wanting to be wrong.

Logan was beginning to be really hurt over her continual defense of Duncan. He knew on some level it would be like this if he told her. But they had came so far and had gotten so close that he had let himself believe maybe he could drop his guard where Duncan was concerned. Obviously, he was too quick to do so.

"When will I learn?" Logan asked aloud. Then he looked at her in disappointment. "You know what, Veronica, I'm done. You need to go. I can't leave, and you're really upsetting me. Why don't you go to Duncan and let him offer you the assurance and comfort you seem to need where he's concerned. I don't have it in me to give it to you, especially when it's a lie," Logan said with disgust.

Veronica couldn't believe what's happening here. How did things spin out of control so fast between them? "I'm not leaving. We're going to finish talking about this, Logan. Did Logan actually _say_ he ordered Aaron killed?"

He looked at her coldly and said, "Yes, that's _exactly_ what he said. He may have been in Australia but Weidman wasn't. I tried to tell you they were close. I tried to tell you he wasn't this perfect guy you thought he was. I tried to tell you he wasn't better than me. I guess I should just be glad you chose me anyway."

"Why would you say that, Logan? Duncan and I have been over a long time," Veronica insisted, upset at his implications.

"Really? You keep saying that and yet you defend him in a way you've never defended me. I honestly can't think of a single instant where you did defend me to anyone, yet he left you without a background glance and still has your unwavering loyalty. Why is that? When will you believe me without question? When will I exceed the Duncan Kane bar that everyone else is measured against? I gotta know because frankly, Veronica, trying to measure up and constantly failing is getting really old," he stated bitterly.

"How can you say that, Logan? I don't understand you. That's not true! I have defended you each and every time you asked for my help. I've defended you when my friends and my dad thought I was crazy for going out with you in high school. How dare you say I don't show you loyalty?" she asked incredulously. "I love _you_! Of course, you have my loyalty. _Of course_, I trust you above all others! I just don't understand how you can sit here and tell me that the man I've known even longer than you could cold bloodedly order the execution of two men. One of those men being your father. That is NOT the Duncan Kane I know. Nor is it the Duncan Kane I loved. I'm sorry if I need a minute to process such a thing," she said.

"You ask me to tell you what he told me and then when you can't handle it, you decide I must be making it up 'cause that's what I do. Now you insist I have your loyalty and your love, _but_ I simply told you what he just told me and you doubt what I say. Then you insist it can't be true because he's not the screw up. No, we both knew who you think of as the screwed up one, and it's surely not him," Logan responded, punctuating his words with scorn and bitterness. Veronica started to answer, but Logan cut her off before she could say anything more. "I don't want to talk about this anymore, Veronica. You're upsetting me and causing me to feel worse than I already do."

"We need to talk about this, Logan. I'm not going anywhere! You can't just spill out all that and then expect me to just leave. Not after what all we've been through!" she declared.

Just then a nurse came in. "Is everything alright? You're monitors are beeping. You're blood pressure and heart rate has accelerated. What's wrong? How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling upset. I need to rest and don't think visitors are good right now. Especially when they defend their ex-boyfriends and accuse me of lying," he said pointedly as he glared at Veronica.

"Logan," she began. He cut her off again, "Just go. I don't want to talk anymore today," Logan insisted as he lowered his bed and closed his eyes.

The nurse looked at Veronica, "I think it's best if you leave and come back tomorrow. Long hospital stays can be stressful for everyone."

"Okay, I'll leave. But I'll be back in the morning." Veronica left upset at both Logan's revelations about Duncan and his response to her reaction. She hated when he overreacted like this. Of course, hearing what he said about Duncan was disturbing and hard to believe. She thought she knew exactly what Duncan was capable of. Being in the investigation business usually gave her good instincts about people in general and her friends specifically. How could she have not seen this in Duncan? Is Logan right; does she judge him harsher than she does Duncan? Upset at the thought and the fact that things were unsettled between her and Logan, she headed home. For the first time since they got back together, Veronica was worried about their relationship.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 28: Best Friends to the Rescue

When Veronica got home she couldn't get her conversation with Logan out of her mind. She just didn't understand why any mention of Duncan served to hurt and upset Logan. Didn't he know that even if she wasn't with Logan, she would never be with Duncan again? She had told him that several times. She had told him, too, that Duncan was not a threat to Logan. Why was he still so insecure?

"I can't go to sleep with things so unsettled between us," she thought to herself. She got out her phone to call him. Either he was a sleep already or he didn't want to talk to her because it went straight to his voicemail. His thought of the day was new.

It said, "Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth 1 John 3:18." Although quoting the Bible wasn't typical, Veronica knew he put that message on there for her. She left a message for him.

"Logan, I'm sorry my actions don't seem to shout love to you. But I do love you, and I hope you give me a chance to show it to you. I'll be by to finish our talk in the morning."

Logan ignored Veronica's call. He wasn't surprised she called. He knew she would because he didn't let her get in the last word. He didn't have the energy to talk about it any further tonight, so he left a new voicemail message for her. It was something Dr. Phil had said on his talk show the other day when he was counseling a couple. It had struck Logan as a powerful truth. Logan's dad had told him he loved him and beat him constantly. Sometimes Aaron would speak of his love for Logan like it was the _reason_ he beat Logan.

"I punish you harshly, Logan, _because_ I love you and want you to be a descent man when you grow up," he'd say to Logan.

His mom told Logan that she loved him the morning she jumped of the bridge. The day after Veronica had first admitted she loved Logan; she wouldn't take his phone call. Then after he admitted to her that he'd slept with someone else when they were broken up, she claimed to still love him but then had broken up with him a day or so later.

Logan didn't just _say _he loved her; everything he did was a testament of his love for her. She knew it and so did everyone who knew them. Logan knew that if they were going to be able to make this work, she would have to do a better job showing him that she loved him. It wasn't that he wanted her to feel like she was always on trial, but Logan needed to _feel_ that she loved him. Actions spoke louder than words. When she doubted his word or defended Duncan, it made him feel like she didn't love him as much as he loved her. He wasn't trying to hurt her, but it was how he felt. Sometimes you just knew someone loved you even without the words. Like Dick, for example. Logan didn't need Dick to tell him he loved him, but Dick's loyalty, friendship, and unfailing support demonstrated clearly to Logan how much Dick cared about him.

The next morning Veronica got up after a restless night of sleep. She headed to the hospital determined to straighten things out with Logan. Here he was in the hospital because he took a bullet for her, and she was selfish enough to get into an argument with him over Duncan! What was wrong with her? As she left for the hospital, she was firm in her resolve to fix everything.

She was about to enter Logan's hospital room when she heard Lily in the room with him. Duncan must be in there with Logan. He was someone she definitely needed talk to. She stepped away from the door and got out her phone to text Duncan: _I need to speak to you now! I'm outside Logan's room. Don't say anything to him. Just make an excuse to leave the room for a bit._

Duncan's phone beeped, and he read the text from Veronica. He said to Logan, "Do you mind if she stays here with you a few minutes? I got to make a call. I won't be long."

"Sure. I think I can manage for a few minutes. Shut the door behind you, so she can't escape!" Logan replied even though she was currently sitting on the bed with him playing with her doll.

Duncan went outside his room, and Veronica pounced on him. "Come with me, please." She grabbed his hand and led him to the waiting room area on that floor. When they got there, Veronica was relieved to find it empty. She stopped and turned to Duncan, giving him a steely look.

"Okay, Duncan I need to ask you something, and I want you to be completely honest with me. I mean it," she ordered.

Duncan was leery because he assumed Logan told her some of the stuff that he and Logan talked about last night. However, he knew that eventually this talk would come up between him and Veronica. "Go ahead. I don't plan on lying to you. I never have before."

She didn't respond to his comment but asked, "Did you have Weidman kill Gory?"

"Yes," Duncan answered.

"Did you have him kill Aaron, too?" she asked.

"Yes," he calmly replied. Neither said anything for a moment.

"I can't believe you would do such things, Duncan! I never dreamed you had so much in common with your parents!" Veronica declared, feeling slightly ill. Duncan didn't even appear to be sorry or bothered by what he did.

"It's not like I went out and killed some random person, Veronica. Aaron couldn't get away with what he did! You of all people should understand that! There was no justice for my sister as long as he lived. Not to mention, Logan's life would've been hell once again. I'm _not _sorry for it, and I never had one moment of regret," he said simply.

"I didn't know you at all, did I?" Veronica inquired.

"Sure you did, Veronica. You knew me. You know me now. You just only know one side of me. Logan knows all my sides, and he accepts me anyway. Why can't you do the same?" Duncan asked.

"You ordered Gory killed, too, and I'm just supposed to accept it and act like it's perfectly okay? Do you not know me _at all_?" Veronica exclaimed as she gets more worked up.

"Yes, I do. I know you, and I love you. You know that. Do you think I'm going to let someone go around trying to kill you? Or Logan? What if he tried it again when you were out with Lily? Do you think assassins care if you have a child with you? That is not a chance I'm going to take with my daughter. Not to mention I am not going to let anyone hurt you. Never again will someone I love be killed by someone I know. Never again will I sit back and allow things to happen in my life. I'm not going to apologize for that," Duncan told her firmly.

Veronica looked at him in amazement. It was like she was looking at a stranger. "You coldly and premeditatedly ordered the death of two men. I don't care who they were or what they did. You had no right. That's not how things work in this country. I can't even look at you right now. Please go! Take Lily home. I need to talk to Logan. I was stupid enough to defend you last night to Logan, and he's really hurt and upset with me. Unlike you, he is someone I _do _know. He's someone I can trust."

Duncan wanted to say so many things to her, but he knew her too well. There was no point right now. He just turned and left. He hoped they could get past this. However, even if they didn't, he just didn't have it in him to regret what he did. At least she would be safe, even if she hated him from a distance. He regretted that the revelation of his action caused a fight between Logan and Veronica. However, he was confident that the two would manage to work things out. Logan tended to react first and repent later. Veronica tended to think carefully and then act. Their two very different methods of dealing with things would inevitably lead to some friction. Duncan just hoped Veronica wouldn't distance herself from Lily because of this latest development. Lily needed a mom figure, and Veronica was the best he had to give her right now.

Veronica took her time getting back to Logan's room. She didn't want to see Duncan and have to pretend in front of Lily that everything was okay. She also needed some time to figure out what to say to Logan. She really needed some advice, but who could she talk to? She couldn't tell Mac or Wallace about what was going on. Nor could she talk to her Dad. It really only left one person.

Veronica made a call requesting that her friend meet her for coffee. There was a place across from the hospital. As she waited, she reflected on her conversations with Logan and Duncan. She also couldn't get Logan's voicemail message out of her mind. How could she show Logan that she loved him? What would it take for him to trust in her love and her commitment to him?

She was deep in thought when she heard a familiar voice call out, "Yo, Ronnie! You call, I come! I'm easy like that!"

She shook her head but could help laughing up at Dick as he reached her table. "Where do you come up with these lines? Do you have a cheesy line a day calendar or what?" she asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" he replied, grinning.

He sat down and told the server who had come up to him that he'd take a coffee and a chocolate bagel. "I was kind of surprised that you called me. I don't think you and I have ever had coffee just the two of us. What's up?" he inquired.

"Well, I need to talk to someone about Logan. I can't talk to Mac or Wallace because they can't know anything about this. Logan doesn't keep secrets from you, so I know you're probably the only one I can talk to about it. Not to mention as Logan's best friend, you may be able to give me some insight," she explained surprising Dick with that bit of explanation.

"Wow! I see passing my biology final was not the only miracle I would experience today! Veronica Mars actually needs _my_ help for something! I knew it was only a matter of time before you saw through my dumb blonde act!" he declared with a big grin.

"What? It's an act? You're really _not_ a blonde?" she asked with mock surprise. Dick started to form a comeback, but she cut him off with a serious look because she really didn't have time for it today. "No, Dick, I need to talk to you about some stuff that Logan will probably tell you himself. However, it's not something we can tell Mac. Once you hear the details you'll understand. By keeping the information from her we are protecting her."

"Okay, Ronnie, now you've got my attention. What's going on?"

"Last night Logan told me that Duncan got confirmation that Gory was behind the hit and that he ordered Weidman to kill him. Gory is dead," she finished and looked expectantly at Dick. When Dick showed no surprise but looked only relieved at the news, she said "Why doesn't that news surprise you? When Logan told me I was shocked and upset. Then Logan got upset at me for being that way. Like I'm supposed to take that kind of news in stride."

Dick answered, "It doesn't surprise me because I saw what Duncan did to Gory first hand. It was Duncan who ran Gory out of town, not Logan or I. We wanted to be active participants believe me. But it was Duncan's show from the beginning; we were just along for the ride."

"What do you mean?" Veronica asked.

While Dick gave Veronica the play by play of the psychological torture Duncan inflicted on Gory, Wallace had stopped by Logan's hospital room to see how he was doing. The doctor was with Logan when he came in.

"Well, Logan, the good news is you should be able to get out of here tomorrow," the doctor revealed.

"But Doc, we were just getting to know one another and you're already breaking up with me?" Logan quipped.

The doctor smiled, well used to Logan's offbeat humor after their week of exchanges. "Don't worry, they'll be enough follow up appointments to keep you from missing me too much. That's the bad news. It may take you a few months before you are up to your full strength. You're body withstood major trauma, and it will take some time to get you up to 100%. Luckily, you were in top physical condition, so your body will eventually bounce back."

Logan noticed Wallace walk in as the doctor was talking and waved at him in acknowledgement. When the doctor finished, Logan asked, "What restrictions will I have? I assume surfing's out?"

"Definitely no surfing. You could run out of steam and drown. If you can walk up a few flights of stairs fairly quickly without feeling pain or having difficulty breathing, you are probably where you'll want to be. You won't be able to swim in the ocean alone until you have back your former strength and lung capacity. I predict it could take a full month at least. Probably two. Go on walks daily increasing the minutes every few days. Take a friend until you're aware of your limits," he finished.

After the doctor left, Wallace gave Logan a high five at the good news.

"You don't look as happy as I thought you would at the news," Wallace observed.

"I'll be glad to get out of here. I'm just bummed. Veronica and I had a disagreement last night, and she told me that she'd be by this morning but never showed," Logan shared.

"I'm surprised. Veronica's been so worried about you that I can't see her fighting with you this soon. What could you possibly have to fight about? Were you pushing yourself too hard?" Wallace asked.

"It was over Duncan actually. I told her something about Duncan that cast him in a negative light, and she at first acted like I made it up. Her unwillingness to believe anything bad about Duncan really burns me, especially when she's never been prone to give me the benefit of the doubt," Logan said.

"Ouch! Sorry man. But you know it's not really Duncan that she's protecting or defending but Lilly. When Veronica found out the true circumstances of her death, she was forced to face some things about Lilly she didn't like. Her willingness to hurt you by having an affair with your dad was not something she could easily deal with. She didn't like feeling angry with Lilly, especially when she's gone. It made her feel disloyal to her memory. Duncan gets the loyalty she wants to give to Lilly but can't. Why else do you think she risked everything to help him escape with Lily?" Wallace inquired.

"Well, I thought it was because of her loving him so much," Logan confessed.

"I'm sure that's what she thought when she was doing it. But I know her too well. She cared a lot about Duncan, and she's a loyal friend. Being who she is, she probably would've done the same thing for you or me. But when it comes to Duncan she doesn't think of him really as her first love. She thinks of him as Lilly's brother first. It's instinctive. I don't even think she's aware of it really," Wallace said.

Logan didn't say anything for a minute. He needed a second to process what Wallace was saying. Wallace may be right up to a point, but it didn't explain everything. "Well, even if that's true, it doesn't explain why my whole relationship with Veronica was spent mostly fending off her questions about my whereabouts and distrust, yet she never for one moment doubted Duncan's character or integrity. She actually thinks Duncan never cheated on her, but I slept with someone when we were broken up and she walks out on us. Do you know how that makes me feel?" Logan asked.

"Duncan cheated on Veronica when they were dating?" Wallace asked in surprise.

"See you have trouble believing that, and you didn't even know him really then! I know Kendall came out of his room one morning after being in there all night, and I doubt they were discussing his homework," Logan revealed.

"Why didn't you ever tell Veronica? She'd have dumped him in a minute. That would've cleared the field for you," Wallace wondered.

"A few reasons. Duncan and I were finally friends again, and I didn't want to mess it up. My mom was dead; my dad in jail, and Veronica barely spoke to me. Duncan and I once were like you and Veronica. Except we shared everything. We had everything in common. Dick and I are really close now, but he wasn't someone I shared everything with most of my life like Duncan. I didn't want to lose that again. I also didn't want to win her that way. I wanted her to pick me. Besides I doubted she would've believed me anyway," Logan said.

"Well, all I know, man, is now Veronica loves you more than she loves anyone, and I know she never loved Duncan the way she loves you. You gotta trust in that," Wallace told him.

"I know she loves me. It's taken me a long time to really believe that, but I do. I just hate always feeling less or feeling like I'm her second choice. When she defends him I can't help but wonder if she and I would've even got back together if he hadn't left. Or if she and Duncan would've ended up playing house with Lily. Sometimes I can't get the picture of that out of my head," Logan confessed.

"Obsessing about that kind of thing isn't good for anyone. You've got to let that stuff go and focus on the now and your future with Veronica. I am her closest friend and I know you and she would've found your way back together regardless of whether or not Duncan stuck around," Wallace assured him.

As Logan thouhgt about what Wallace had said, Veronica was trying to wrap her mind around what Dick revealed about Duncan and Gory. At first she wondered if it was possible to really know a person. She was so wrong about what Duncan was capable of doing. Duncan was given nothing but love, attention, and affection growing up, and yet he was fundamentally flawed and morally weak. Whereas Logan was neglected, abused, and left alone too much, and yet he was the strongest man she knew next to her dad. She had no doubt that one day he'd be even stronger. He wore his heart on his sleeve for the world to see. Veronica knew that she'd damaged that heart with her mistrust and abandonment yet it still beat for her. How could she fix things?

She said to Dick, "I really hurt Logan when I had trouble accepting his revelations about Duncan. How do I make him trust that I love him more than I ever loved Duncan? He seems to always feel like I'm comparing him to Duncan or something."

"Don't taze me for saying this but, you have always acted like you were so much better than Logan and pretty much everyone, Ronnie. When you dumped him in high school and then got back with Duncan a few weeks later it seemed like to everyone that Logan _was _always your second choice. Then dumping him for a one night stand with Madison when you were broken up torpedoed him. I know you worked a lot of things out since you got back together. But it's going to take him some time before he completely trusts that you're never going to do that again," Dick informed her, surprising Veronica with his insight.

"Well, I'm going to do whatever it takes to make him see that I love him more than anyone and that I'm committed to him," Veronica insisted.

"That's good to know. He's been through enough," Dick said.

Veronica agreed and had a sudden thought about a way she could put all Logan's doubts at bay. But first she had to talk with Logan and clear up everything. She thanked Dick for his help and headed back toward the hospital.

When she got to Logan's room, he was out of his bed with his back facing her looking out the window. She silently went over to him and wrapped her arms around him, placing her cheek against his back.

Logan smelled Veronica's unique scent before her arms came around his waist from behind. He said nothing but placed his own hands on top of hers that were linked across his stomach. For a few minutes, they stood like that. Both needing to touch one another yet not quite ready to have the talk they knew then needed to have.

Finally, Logan turned and faced her. Their eyes locked together, and as was typical with them, they conveyed a thousand words in a look. He gave her a small smile and pulled her into his arms for a tight hug. No matter what had been said or left unsaid he needed to have her in his arms, and she wanted to be there. Whenever she was in his arms, the whole world faded away.

After a few minutes he pulled back and took her hand and led her over to the chair that was close to his bed. He went and grabbed the second chair on the other side so that he could sit next to her. A hospital bed didn't work well for the kind of conversation they needed to have.

"When you didn't come by earlier I was worried that you might not show up at all," Logan admitted.

"Actually, I was here when Duncan was here. I talked to him before he left," Veronica confessed.

"So you needed to hear it from him before you'd believe it?" Logan asked the hurt evident in his face.

She reached over and took his hand, "No, Logan that's not it at all. I didn't need to talk to him in order to believe what you said. But I needed to talk to him so that I could understand. However, having him admit it and seeing how completely okay he was with his choices only served to disgust and disappoint me."

Logan couldn't seem to resist defending Duncan. "Duncan did what he felt he had to. I would've killed Gory myself if I had the chance. I would not let him have another chance to hurt you!"

Veronica shook her head. "No, Logan you are not capable of killing another person. I may have been wrong about Duncan, but _I know_ I'm not wrong about you. I could see you beat him to a pulp maybe, but you do not have it in you to take a life. Some people truly do not have it in them to do such a thing."

"You can't know that, Veronica," he insisted.

"I can!" she exclaimed emphatically.

"How can you be so sure?" he asked.

"Because I know you, and I love you. More than anything. I love every part of you-the good and the bad. And I know even the worst part of you isn't capable of either killing or ordering someone to be killed. You are not your father, Logan. It's time you believed it," Veronica declared.

"You really believe that, don't you?" Logan asked.

She smiled, "Yes, I really do."

"I'm sorry for jumping down your throat," Logan said.

"I'm sorry, too. I want you to know that I never thought you were lying. Not for a moment. I'm sorry if it came across that way. I was just having trouble processing the fact that Duncan could do such a thing. How could I not see that in him?" she wondered.

"No one likes to believe that someone they love and trust is capable of horrible things. But Duncan did what he did for good reason. I for one am grateful for him for both acts. My dad needed to be killed. It sounds horrible to say it out loud. But it's the truth. He would've made my life hell. And I doubt I'd have stayed in Neptune if he had been here. We wouldn't be together. He'd have made sure we never were together. Duncan did us both a favor. And Gory would've never stopped. I was mad at him for going after Gory without me, but he was right. It's not something I needed take part in."

"Well, you're wrong. We would've found our way to one another again. Remember what you said once? We're epic-spanning continents and years, ruined lives and bloodshed. Epic," Veronica reminded him.

"I did, didn't I? Well, just remember who said it first!" Logan said with a smirk.

Then he reached over and pulled her into his lap. She put her arms around his neck. He smiled and said, "I love you, Veronica Mars."

"I know," she responded with a grin. He kissed her with all the love and passion he had inside of him. He kissed her like he hadn't been able to since he got shot. His kiss reminded Veronica of why she could never walk away again. No one can walk away from a man who could love the way Logan Echolls could love.

_Yes, I did borrow some lines from other places in this chapter. I gave Dick a line from Damon Salvatore from Vampire Diaries. He's got the best lines on TV today. Then the end exchange here between Logan and Veronica may remind you of the end of Cutting Edge. Of course, "I know" is what Princess Leia said to Han Solo at the end of Return of the Jedi when he finally told her he loved her. I hope this chapter served to make you like Veronica again. Is she forgiven?_


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 29: A Hero's Release

Weevil was getting ready to head over to Echoll's house to lend a hand for the welcome home party V was throwing him. Weevil couldn't believe he was willingly going to hang out with 09ers. But things change. Life was funny that way. In high school, he never imagined that his boys would turn on him and throw him out of the gang he led. He never imagined that the one friend he could always count on would end up being a trouble-seeking, cute blond girl named Veronica Mars. He found it nearly impossible to say no to Mars, especially after what she'd been through lately. He was about to turn off his TV and head out the door when he saw Logan and Veronica on the news. They were surrounded by the media outside of the hospital. It looked like they were finally going to take time to answer some questions from the media. Sheriff Mars was there with them. Weevil stopped to watch the interview.

_News Anchor: Logan Echolls is finally being released from the hospital after being shot by an unknown gunman. Logan captured the heart of America when it was discovered that he took the bullet meant for his high school sweetheart Veronica Mars. Our reporter Stacey Jones is at the hospital now and it looks like Logan and Veronica are finally ending their silence with the media. Let's listen._

_Logan: Yes, I am feeling much better. The hospital staff was amazing. _

_Reporter: Do you know, Miss Mars, who would want you dead?_

_Veronica: I'll let my dad answer that one._

_Sherriff Mars: We believe the shooter was a hired gunman. We are pursuing leads. Both Logan and Veronica did receive threats by a classmate that they did not take seriously. The student in question left the university several weeks ago. We will not release any names at this time. We do feel that the campus is safe, but the university has both increased security and requested an increase in police presence on campus which we are happy to provide. When we make an arrest we will let you know._

_Reporter: Logan, when you jumped in front of Veronica did you know you would be shot?_

_Logan: Well, I had noticed a red target dot on her face. I looked around and couldn't see any obvious threats, but I moved in front of her to throw us both out of the line of sight. Obviously, I wasn't fast enough! (He grinned and audience laughed)_

_Reporter: Would you have done the same thing if you had known you would be shot and almost killed?_

_Logan: If I had known, I would've moved the second I noticed the dot! However, if it meant that Veronica would be shot and killed if I hadn't, then yes, I would have done it anyway._

_Reporter: Veronica, how does it feel to know your boyfriend is willing to die for you?_

_Veronica: I feel like the luckiest girl in the world! (She looks adoringly at Logan whose hand she was holding)_

_Logan: I'm the lucky one! (He leans over to give her an impassioned kiss much to the audiences delight)_

_Stacey Jones: (speaking directly to the camera) Ladies all over the country are green with envy right now as Logan publicly declares his love and affection for Veronica Mars. What makes this story so remarkable is that more than a year ago Logan's father was charged with the murder of his first girlfriend Lilly Kane and the attempted murder of Veronica. Although Aaron Echolls was acquitted, public opinion was divided over his guilt or innocence. Veronica's dad Sheriff Keith Mars wrote a book about the case. His own heroics in saving his daughter from Aaron were public knowledge before the trial. It seems that Veronica inspires acts of heroism in the men who love her._

_News Anchor: Stacey, didn't Sheriff Mars testify at Aaron's trial that he literally leapt through flames that Aaron had set in order to save his daughter from a certain death?_

_Stacey Jones: Yes. He and Veronica both testified that Aaron had locked her in a freezer and then poured gasoline around it and started the blaze in an attempt to force Veronica to hand over damaging tapes she had of Aaron's affair with Lilly Kane, his son Logan's sixteen year old girlfriend._

_News Anchor: And didn't Logan somehow get a hold of those tapes and destroy them because he didn't want the public to view tapes of Lilly in such a compromising position?_

_Stacey Jones: Yes, he testified at the trial about the tapes and said he had to protect his late girlfriend's reputation._

_News Anchor: What a remarkable young man!_

Weevil turned off the news not needing to hear anyone go on about how wonderful Logan was. However, for the most part the news had got it right. Mars did seem to bring out their protective instincts. But her small size was deceptive. She was the toughest and most capable girl he ever met. She was also the best friend a person could have. Weevil knew there weren't many white girls in Neptune that would go out of their way to help a guy like him. Most girls like Veronica would cross the street to avoid him. However, V wasn't like most girls. She went to extraordinary lengths for her friends. Is it any wonder she inspired such loyalty? He headed out the door determined to put up with Dick and his frat brothers at least long enough to greet V and Logan when they arrived.

When Weevil arrived at Echoll's it looked like the party was in full swing already. It was surprising considering it was in the middle of the week and barely after lunch. However, after spending a year working on campus, Weevil knew that these college kids would go anywhere there were free drinks.

He went to the door and since it was open, he went in looking for Casblancas. He saw Mac first. She greeted him with a smile.

"Glad you could make it, Weevil. Dick is running around like a crazy man. He made the mistake of mentioning the welcome party for Logan to a few of his frat brothers. Naturally, they invited everyone they knew. Veronica is going to flip! We will have to shut it down after a few hours or so. Veronica doesn't want Logan to have too much excitement too soon. I hope you'll stay until then so you can help us run off some frat boys." She grinned at Weevil, knowing he'd love that.

"Count on it! My grandma raised me to be a gentleman, and I could never say no to a lady in need!" he said, grinning back at Mac.

"Do you barbeque? Dick's on the patio with Wallace trying to. I know they could use some help," Mac informed him.

Weevil headed the direction Mac indicated. Sure enough, Dick and Wallace were arguing over the grill.

"I'm telling you, Dick, it's too hot! The burgers will burn and be raw in the inside," Wallace said.

"It'll cook faster, if it's hotter! Did you see all the people here already? We got a lot to cook!" Dick insisted.

"Well, whose fault is that? You know that if you invite one frat boy, you're inviting them all! Why do you think I didn't invite any of my basketball friends?" Wallace informed him.

"Sorry to break up the bromance, boys, but Mac sent me out here to see if you need some help. And I can see that you do. Hand the spatula over, Fennel. I've got this," Weevil told them.

Wallace gladly gave it to Weevil. "Come on, Dick. Let's go bring out the meat. Weevil can handle it."

"Thanks, dude!" Dick said as Wallace led him away. Weevil was glad to have an excuse not to talk to any white, frat boys.

Outside the house, Sheriff Mars had pulled up with Logan and Veronica. He observed, "Well, honey, it looks like Dick invited everyone he knew, I think it's best if I say goodbye here because I'm sure they'll be a max exodus if I go in with you. Keep things under control and call me if you need back up, and I don't mean the four legged kind!"

"I'm going to kill Dick! I told him to invite just a few people!" Veronica complained. "But don't worry, Dad. I told Dick to let everyone know that Logan would only be able to socialize for a few hours."

"It's fine, Veronica. I can go to my room if it becomes too much. Thanks, Keith," Logan said.

Wallace had been watching for Veronica and Logan. He turned off the music when he saw the Sheriff pull up.

"Pipe down! They're here!" he shouted over the din.

Logan and Veronica walked in to cheers, claps, and shouts of welcome. Everyone wanted to have a chance to personally greet Logan. Veronica knew he would be standing too long greeting everyone, so she said loudly, "Okay, Logan needs to sit down and you all can take turns talking to him. So clear a path please!" She led him to the sofa. After he was seated, she went to get them something to drink. Then she greeted a few people; she saw Duncan and Jazmin. Veronica had mixed feelings at seeing them. She was still upset with Duncan and not ready to deal with him, but she put on a smile for Jazmin's sake.

"Hey guys!" she greeted him.

"Thanks for inviting me!" Jazmin said.

"Of course, we invited you! You're one of the few people here I actually want to see! Where's Dick? I need to have a chat with him," she said, not really making eye contact with Duncan.

"He's outside with Weevil," Duncan offered.

"Weevil and Dick are willingly occupying the same space without bloodshed?" she asked incredulously.

Duncan grinned. "It looked like they were bonding over grilling."

Veronica shook her head and excused herself. When she got out to the patio she heard Weevil very patiently instructing Dick on how to get the meat evenly cooked.

"Well, who knew all it would take for you boys to play nice was Logan getting shot!" Veronica declared.

They look up at her. Weevil greeted her, and Dick looked worried. He offered, "Hey, Ronnie. How's Logan?"

"So nice of you to ask!" she responded sarcastically. "Didn't we talk about how many people should be here, Dick?"

"I swear I invited less than ten! I don't know where they all came from! I swear!" he proclaimed.

"Dick, you've been in your fraternity for over a year. You know if you invited one of your ditto heads they all follow! It'll be up to you to get them all to leave in a few hours, or I'll get out my tazer and do it for you!" she warned.

"Don't worry, V! Running off white frat boys is one of my favorite past times," Weevil said. "I'll gladly volunteer for that job!" He smiled gleefully.

Dick looked even more worried and went to find Chip, so he could warn him. He finally found him talking to Logan and some Hispanic hottie. The girl was wearing a low cut top with her ample breasts on prime display. She was squeezed up next to Logan's side. Chip was sitting on the stool in front of them. Dick realized for the first time that he honestly had no interest in finding out more about the new girl. He felt quite proud of himself. Who knew that when he found the right woman that he really would be a one woman man?

"Hey, Chip, Logan. How are you doing, Logan? Sorry about the insane amount of people. I told Chip to only invite a few people," Dick said giving Chip a look. "Chip, Ronnie is on the war path over all the people here. She's already threatened to use both her tazer and her pet Mexican thug to empty the place in a few hours if people don't leave willingly. So pass the word. Party needs to be over by five."

Chip agreed to spread the word and make sure everyone cleared out then. The girl pressed up against Logan didn't like being ignored. "Chip, aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" she pouted.

Chip replied, "Dick, have you met my sister Daisy?"

"Sister?" Dick asked in surprise.

"Well, stepsister. My dad met her mom a few years ago when we were vacationing in Puerto Rico. She's a freshman. You'd have met her earlier if you came to more parties. That new girl of yours keeps you on a tight leash!" Chip teased.

The girl in question came up behind Chip in time to overhear his comment. She interjected, "Dick likes chains, don't you, Dick?"

Dick grinned up at her and got up from his seat. "Only when they're in your hands, Mackie!" He kissed her in greeting. She led him a few feet away and asked, "Dick, who's that girl hanging all over Logan? You know he doesn't have the energy to deflect a girl like that, and Veronica will not like it."

"Hey, Chip knows Logan belongs to Veronica. It's his stepsister, so he should deal with it. I'm going to go see if Weevil's got some food ready. I'm hungry!" Dick proclaimed.

Mac shook her head at his one track mind and looked for Veronica. She was talking with Wallace and Jazmin. She went over to them and pulled Veronica aside.

"You may want to go over to Logan. Some new J-Lo wannabe is all over him, and he's talking to Chip and seems oblivious. But I recognize a barracuda when I see one!" Mac warned.

Veronica headed to Logan with Mac right behind her. When Logan was in view she quickly saw that Mac was right. The new girl was petite and attractive. Unlike Veronica, her petite stature allowed for her to be greatly endowed in the breast department, and she seemed to have no qualms about flashing them in Logan's face. Veronica was _not_ happy.

"Chip, you should tell your friend here that _one_, clothing was not optional and that _two_, she's got five seconds to get herself and her breasts away from Logan! He is not in any condition to fight off unwanted advances!" Veronica warned in a calm and even tone, but her eyes spoke volumes.

"Who says the advances are unwanted?" the new girl asked slyly. "Maybe Logan could use someone that's not a stick figure to warm him back into full recovery."

Veronica was momentarily speechless. Fortunately, Chip had been around Veronica enough to recognize that look in her eyes to know what it meant. He quickly got up and grabbed his sister's hand. "Come on, Daisy! I've got a friend I want you to meet."

Daisy was stubborn and didn't like anyone telling her what to do. She responded, "When did you start taking orders from tiny Barbies, Chip?"

"Excuse me?" Veronica demanded, offended.

"I got this, Veronica. Don't worry!" Chips assured her as he pulled Daisy up forcefully. "Logan needs space. He just got out of the hospital, and his _girlfriend_ Veronica Mars would like to sit down next to him. You're in the way. Let's go!" Chip told her, pulling her away. As they were walking away, Logan and Veronica overheard Chip say, "Trust me, Daisy, I'm doing you a favor! That girl is nuts, and you do _not_ want to piss her off by hitting on her boyfriend!"

Logan grinned at Veronica. "Should I be insulted that Chip is more afraid of you than me?"

Veronica laughed as she sat in Logan's lap. "You know what they say, 'Behind every great man is a better woman!' Chip's not as dumb as he looks."

"So we're adding pet fraternity presidents to your list of conquests now, huh?" he joked.

"Hey, a girl's got to have a hobby!" Veronica responded with a mischievous smile. "But don't worry, sweetie, you're my _favorite_ hobby!" She kissed him on the cheek.

"Well, I like being your favorite hobby. You can play with me anytime, sugarpuss!" Logan teased.

"Oh yeah? How about now? Why don't we take a break from all these festivities for a bit, so I can have a turn playing doctor?" she asked.

He grinned in anticipation. "Now that you mention it _I am_ definitely in need of some tender lovin' care-emphasis on the lovin'!"

She jumped up and took his hand and led the way through the throng of parties and well-wishers. They stopped a few times to chit chat, but they didn't allow anyone to detour them from their destination.

When they got into his bedroom, he quickly shut the door and then trapped Veronica against it. "Alone at last!" he said as he leaned down to kiss her. It seemed like forever since he'd been able to do that. Veronica's arms went around her waist as she welcomed his kiss. When things started to become heated she pulled away breathing heavy. "Take off your shirt, Logan."

"That's what I'm talking about!" he exclaimed in anticipation as he pulled off his t-shirt.

"Cool your jets! I want to check the dressing on your injury," Veronica clarified. "You just got out of the hospital. Kissing and snuggling is all the action you're going to see for awhile!"

"Hey, it was just a lung! I've got two and the rest of me works just fine!" he insisted as he gave her a suggestive leer. He kissed her again, hoping to show her exactly what he meant.

She allowed him to kiss her because she, too, missed his touch and his kiss. However, she would not be put off for long. As she pulled back once again, she protested, "Logan! It's too soon! The doctor said to pace yourself. I need to know you're okay before we do anything that may tax you unnecessarily."

"Well, I'll have you know that the taxing I have in mind is _very_ necessary!" Logan declared as he tried to cajole and seduce her into seeing things his way.

"Not tonight! You're not going to convince me it's okay tonight. You just got back from the hospital, Casanova. Now take a mental cold shower and calm down. I promise I'll make it up to you another night when you're back to normal. I want to check your incision," she said.

"It's fine, Veronica. We've not even been home but an hour. The nurse changed the dressing before we left, remember? She even showed you how to do it," Logan reminded her.

"I know, but it's not the same. I need to touch you. I need to know that you're going to be whole again," she explained.

Logan knew she was still shaken by his shooting. It'd be awhile before she'd probably be back to her confident and fearless self. He allowed her the examination that she needed.

Veronica would never be okay with seeing the damage the bullet did to Logan. She eased off the medical tape on the gaze to look at the angry red incision on his chest. She couldn't help but lean in and place a soft kiss right above the incision being careful to not cause him any discomfort. Then she put the tape and gaze back into place. She looked up at Logan with tear-filled eyes. "Have I told you yet thank you for saving my life yet again?"

"It's starting to become a habit I can't seem to break!" he teased, wanting her to not focus on his own near death experience.

"I am so grateful, Logan, that you didn't give up on us. Not only would I probably be dead if you had, but I know, too, that I'd have lived my last few weeks not knowing how unbelievably happy you could make me. I love you," she said sincerely.

"I meant it, Veronica, when I said that my life is not much of anything without you. I'd take a thousand bullets for you before I'd see one hair on your head harmed. I love you right back," Logan replied.

As he leaned down once again to kiss her, Veronica couldn't help but give a silent prayer of thanks to God for not taking Logan from her. She was completely sure that what she was going to do next to show him how committed she was to them was the right thing. Never again would Logan look at her in disappointment or hurt. Never again would she let anything or anyone come between them. His sacrifice for her cemented in her mind how much they were a part of each other. No one would keep her from doing everything she could to make sure they made it this time.

_I meant to make this a short filler chapter, but I enjoyed giving Weevil some time. _


	31. Chapter 31

**This chapter is rated M for mature content or R/NC-17 for a short scene near the beginning. Not really sure what the specifics are when it comes to the ratings, but it's definitely for ****Mature**** audiences only. You can skip it without missing any plot details.**

Chapter 30: A LoVe Christmas

Veronica spent every night at Logan's after he got back from the hospital. Mac and she moved most of their stuff out of the dorms at break like it was required by dorm policy. Even though Veronica moved her books and stuff to her dad's, she couldn't bring herself to spend one night away from Logan. Most nights she still woke up in a panic, fearful that he had been taken from her or that he was suffering in pain. Some nights her dreams were filled with a replay of the shooting except Logan would fall lifeless to the ground. Only when she woke up and saw him sleeping next to her could she calm her racing pulse. Her dad seemed to understand her anxiety because he hadn't once pushed to have her come home. She tried to see him when she could so that he wouldn't feel neglected. Luckily, he was spending a lot of time with Alicia, so he didn't miss her as much as he probably would've otherwise.

Today was Christmas Eve. Trina had arrived late last night. Due to her arrival and the wall between Veronica and Duncan, Christmas was going to be different than Thanksgiving. Tonight Veronica, Logan, Dick, Mac, Trina, and Wallace were going to exchange gifts and have a nice dinner. Veronica had voted for gift opening on Christmas day, but she wouldn't see Mac because she was going to spend it with her family. Also Dick was incapable of waiting another day. He was dying to give Mac his gift. Logan had helped him pick the perfect gift. Veronica had tried to get Dick to tell her what it was, but he had surprised her by refusing. Veronica suspected that Logan had threatened him.

Tomorrow Veronica was going over to the Fennel's without Logan. It bothered her, but she just wasn't ready to spend Christmas with Duncan and pretend everything was fine between them. She didn't know if it ever would be. Duncan and Lily were spending the afternoon with Logan and Trina. Logan and Veronica had asked Duncan to let them have Lily for the day on the 26th. Veronica would give Lily her gift then. She was really too young to tell the difference anyway. Dick would be at Mac's most of Christmas day. Then Dick, Logan, Trina, and Veronica would have a quiet dinner that night. Veronica was saving her gift for Logan for tomorrow night. She wanted it to be a small, intimate setting. She had considered giving him his gift when they were alone, but she'd rejected that idea. Veronica felt it was important that a few close connections be there to witness her gift. Logan needed to be reminded that Veronica loved him. Reaffirming that in a public setting would make it even more meaningful she believed.

She got up to shower and get ready for the day. When she came out of the bathroom a half hour later, Logan had breakfast prepared for her on a tray with a single, yellow rose and a small, wrapped box. Logan told her that he liked to give her yellow roses instead of red because it was their friendship he valued the most. He was convinced that the fact they made time to be real friends again was the reason things were so great now. It touched her that he valued that part of their relationship so much.

She grabbed a piece of bacon and a cup of coffee he had on the tray and took it with her as she grabbed some clothes. Logan came in as she was drying her hair.

"Merry Christmas Eve, Veronica!" Logan said as he came behind her and hugged her from behind. He kissed her neck, and she smiled at him as their eyes connected in the mirror.

"Merry Christmas Eve to you, too!" she said as she put her hair dryer down. She turned in his arms and put her arms around his neck. She smiled up at him and rose up to give him a kiss.

"Thanks for the rose and breakfast," she said. "I was hoping you were going to join me for breakfast."

"You mean there's food still left?" he asked.

"Of course, there's food left! I drunk the coffee and just ate one piece of bacon," she informed him as she led him to the food.

Logan grabbed a piece of bacon off the tray. "And I see you managed to refrain from opening the gift. Wow! I'm impressed!" he joked.

"Very funny! I wasn't going to open it without you. But since you're here now," she grabbed the box, "I'll open it, 'kay?"

"Go ahead," Logan answered with an eager smile.

Veronica ripped the box and looked a bit confused when she opened it. "Uh, Logan is this my key?"

"Technically, it's _my_ key. I gave it to you when I got back from the hospital," he clarified.

"So you got it off my key chain and wrapped it? Why? Did you have that much trouble figuring out what to get me for Christmas?" she inquired with a smile.

"I have another gift I'm going to give you later when everyone's here. But I wanted to give you this when it was just us," he explained.

Veronica tried not to laugh. "But you already gave this to me, Logan," she reminded him.

"Well, I wanted to regive it to you now because I wanted to ask you officially to move in here with me. Well, with me and Dick I guess," he admitted with a sheepish grin. "I don't want you to move back into the dorms with Mac when school starts back next semester. I want us to live together and share our lives together. I love you, and I don't want to spend one night away from you!" he declared.

Veronica didn't know why she was so surprised, but she was. She grinned widely at him. "I'd love to officially move in with you, Logan-and with Dick of course," she added with a laugh. "I don't want to be away from you either. I was kind of hoping you'd ask me."

Logan grinned in relief. He thought she'd say yes, but Veronica was not always easy to predict. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet.

"Well, this moment must be christened," Logan insisted. "I've got to make sure you are convinced that it will be my pleasure to see to your every need."

"Oh yeah?" she inquired coyly. "Every need?"

Logan pulled her body flush against his. She could feel his growing desire for her. "I don't want you to feel neglected in any way!" he replied as he bent down to kiss her.

Veronica opened her mouth to welcome his tongue. She twined her tongue with his. Logan pressed his body even closer to her as he kissed her with growing passion. He slid his hands under her shirt and expertly unhooked her bra. He broke off the kiss and pulled her shirt and bra off of her. She looked at him with an unfocused gaze as passion clouded her eyes. Logan pulled off his own shirt.

He grabbed her again and pressed her bare breasts against his chest and maneuvered her toward the bed. He fell onto their bed (he could call it that now) with her. He didn't waste any time and began kissing her neck. She moaned her approval.

"Logan!" she shouted out his name in appreciation. "Don't stop! God, I love it when you do that!"

He was sucking on that spot on her neck that was particularly sensitive. He moved to her mouth and kissed her once again. He could never seem to get enough of her. Logan hoped that when he died it would be as an old man making love to her. What a way to go!

Veronica's hands moved over his back as she kissed him back. She could never get close enough to him, but she kept trying. Sometimes she felt like she wanted to literally crawl inside him her desire was so strong. She sucked on his tongue, and he growled in response. She knew he liked that. She reached her hand down to his waist line. Thank God he had on sweats. She reached underneath the waistband and found his hot length with his hands. She squeezed as he broke off the kiss and shouted out her name in pleasure.

He leaned up out of reach. "Wait! You have too many clothes on!" He unsnapped her jeans. He quickly pulled them down as she raised her hips to assist. He pulled them completely off, and then shed his own pants.

He climbed back over her and began kissing her once again, loving the feel of her naked flesh pressed up against his. His hands kneaded her breasts, and she spread her legs open wider in a silent request. He grinned against her mouth. "Is there a particular need you would like me to take care of, sugarpuss?" he asked.

She grinned and answered, "Touch me, Logan!"

"I am touching you," he reminded her as he squeezed her breast and tweaked her nipples.

"Lower!" she commanded.

Logan grinned as he moved down her body. He couldn't resist putting his mouth over her breast and sucking hard. Then he plunged two fingers inside her wet heat. He felt her muscles clench in response. She was already dripping wet. He licked her nipple as he worked his fingers in and out of her wet warmth. "Don't stop!" she ordered.

Logan moved to her other breast and bit down as he plunged two fingers deep inside of her. She screamed and came hard. He grinned at her as she opened her yes. "Wow! You are truly gifted!" she told him as she sighed in pleasure.

"That's nothing! You've got to come at least two more times before this occasion is properly christened," he informed her.

He moved up and kissed her, slanting his mouth over hers again and again. Veronica felt her passion rise again in response. Her nails dug into his back. Logan knew that was a sign that her passion was climbing. He moved down her body and spread her legs wider. He put a hand under her butt and lifted her up and placed a pillow under her, so he could easily get to her core.

He blew a soft breath over her hot button, and she moaned in response. He leaned down and licked the left side of it and then the right side, teasing her. He swirled his tongue all around it without touching it directly. "Logan, quit teasing me!" she complained.

"But it's so much fun!" he insisted. His tongue swept once again all around the spot that drove her wild. She whimpered. He plunged two fingers inside of her as he finally took her clit into his mouth and sucked. She went wild like he knew she would. Her response made him even harder. He moved up her body and without warning he plunged into her. He didn't give her time to recover but pumped into her again and again. He bit down on her neck.

"Oh God! Logan! I love you! Don't ever stop!" she shouted in pleasure.

"Veronica, God, you are so amazing!" he said in response as he pistoned into her. He pulled out of her. She protested until he quickly flipped her over. With the pillow still underneath, she was at the perfect angle. He plunged hard into her from behind. She screamed out his name; the bed muffled the sound of her scream. She reared back to meet his thrusts. One hand pinched her left nipple, while his right reached under to her still sensitive hot button.

Veronica felt consumed by the pleasure. It seemed to be pouring out of her. He kept pounding into her until finally they both came one after another. Veronica climaxed first, and her inner muscles clenched down on Logan, who finally felt himself explode inside of her.

He collapsed for a moment on her out of breath and feeling wiped out. Then he fell on his back, breathing heavy. He hated how he couldn't enjoy making love to Veronica without being reminded of his injury.

Veronica turned over and noticed his struggle to breathe normally. "Are you okay, Logan?" she asked in concern.

"Yea, I'm fine. It just sucks how out of breath I get. It makes me feel really pathetic and weak!" he complained.

"Well, we'll just have to keep at it until you build back your strength and are your old self again," she said seductively. "I'll be happy to be your training partner."

Logan grinned at her and pulled her close to his side. "You can train with me anytime, sugarlips!"

He gave her a soft kiss. She rested her head on his shoulder for a minute. Then she said, "I'm really hungry now. We should get cleaned up and then heat up the breakfast," Logan agreed and forced himself to get up even though he'd rather sleep. He knew that he would never get stronger if he didn't push himself.

Several hours later, Dick opened the door in expectation. He was disappointed that it was Wallace and not Mac. "Oh, it's you," he said in obvious disappointment.

"Wow! Do I feel welcomed or what?" Wallace said.

"Sorry, dude! I was hoping it was Mac. I'm really excited to give her my Christmas gift. This is our first Christmas together. Come to think of it, it may be my first Christmas ever with a girlfriend. In high school, Madison and I fought so much that I don't think we ever got around to exchanging Christmas gifts," Dick admitted.

He heard a car door slam and excitedly ran to the door again. He threw open the door just as Mac had her hand on the door knob. "You're finally here!" he exclaimed as he grabbed her hand and pulled her in.

Mac laughed at his boyish excitement. She didn't know if she'd ever get used to his full on enthusiasm for just about everything. She didn't think she'd ever met anyone so excited about Christmas. Dick was worse than her little brother Ryan. She couldn't wait to see his expression when he opened the gift she had for him.

Mac greeted Veronica who came in the living room with Trina just then. Logan brought up the rear carrying a bottle of champagne. "Are we celebrating something special or just toasting the holiday?" Mac asked.

"Well, Logan and I are celebrating, but we are also toasting the holiday," Veronica shared.

"Oh my God, you're pregnant!" Trina gushed.

All eyes turned to Veronica and her stomach. She quickly stated, "No, no, no! We are not pregnant! Are you insane? We just finished a year of college! Sorry, Trina you will have to wait several years to be an aunt!"

"Oh, so you haven't ruled it out though?" she asked as she gave Veronica a sly grin.

Veronica refused to rise to the bait and pointedly ignored Trina's probing question. Instead, she passed them all a glass while Logan opened the bottle of bubbly. They all had their glasses filled. Then Dick impatiently asked, "Okay, so what's the dealio?"

Logan smiled and looked at Veronica and then shared, "This morning I asked Veronica to officially move in with me full time and not go back to the dorms and she said yes!"

Dick looked disappointed and naturally shared what he was thinking, "Is that all? Dude, she already lives here! That's not news!"

Mac slapped his arm and admonished, "Dick! Be quiet! Of course, it's news! Veronica was staying here helping him recover. They hadn't made permanent plans to live together. This is a big step." Then she turned to her them and offered her congratulation. Dick refrained from commenting further, but he rolled his eyes. He had known Ronnie was never moving out again. Why did everything always think he was the dumb one?

Wallace said, "Looks like I made the right decision moving back in with Piz!"

"You're welcome here anytime, my friend!" Logan replied.

"Thanks, but I don't need to be underfoot," he responded.

Dick laughed. "No kidding! You should've seen Wallace the weekend you all first got back together in the fall. I thought he was going to throw up he was so freaked out. It was hilarious!"

"Not cool, Dick! I just don't like to be reminded of certain things when it comes to my best friend. Picture Lily all growed up and doing adult themed things with her husband. How would you feel?" Wallace offered.

Dick thought about that for a moment and then got really freaked. "Dude, you ain't right! That's just wrong! It's Christmas! Why would you go and say something like that to me? Besides, Lily will be a virgin until she's at least thirty. We'll make sure of that!"

Veronica and Mac smiled at each other as the guys deluded themselves into thinking they would have a say in who Lily decided to someday love. Mac couldn't help but think what a great father Dick would make. An image of a little blonde girl with her eyes popped in her mind. She shook her head to dislodge the picture, but it wouldn't go away. "We haven't even said 'I love you' yet to one another," she thought to herself. She took a sip of her drink hoping to clear her mind.

Logan told them he had reservations at seven, so they had some time before they had to leave for dinner. Veronica decided that they should give each other their gifts before they left. She didn't want to do it at a restaurant anyway. There was too many of them. They had told Trina that they'd exchange gifts with her tomorrow, so Trina was surprised when Mac handed her a small box. She didn't really know Veronica's weird brainiac friend. She looked quizzically at Mac. "This is from Dick and me," Mac offered. "We thought if we were really nice to you that you may come visit more!" She smiled when she said it so Trina would know she meant it sincerely. "It's just something small, so I don't want you to feel strange about not giving us anything. I know you don't really know me, but I've become such good friends with Logan that I wanted you to feel like you belong here with us anytime you want to come by."

Trina was sincerely touched by Mac's kind words. She'd spent so much time jet setting around the globe and flitting from here to there that she'd forgotten what it was like to be surrounded by people who weren't looking to criticize your every move or find fault with every part of you. She opened the small box Mac gave her. Inside was a tiny, beautiful crystal fairy with wings. She looked down wordlessly. Mac said, "Veronica mentioned that you collected crystal figurines, and I saw this and thought it was so cute. I had to buy it for you. I hope you don't have a fairy in your collection."

Logan and Veronica were both surprised and pleased at Mac's gesture of friendship to Trina. Veronica knew that Trina's brassiness and often condescension could put people off. But she had seen firsthand that Trina did have a heart as well as the Echolls' charm. Logan knew how mean his sister could be and hoped she didn't say anything to hurt Mac's feelings. Not only would he be upset if she did, but he knew Dick would not handle it well either.

Trina took a minute to compose her expression. She couldn't remember the last time anyone had given her something so thoughtful and so perfect. Veronica's best friend managed to do something that none of Trina's so called friends had ever done. Trina looked up and offered Mac a warm smile, "I can't believe you found something so lovely and perfect! Wow! Thanks, I love it!" She embraced Mac and gave Dick a kiss on the cheek.

He grinned and said, "I tried to get her to buy the crystal frog because it was really hilarious, but she said that you'd like this better. She's usually always right. Isn't she amazing?" Dick asked Trina as he looked adoringly at Mac.

Mac was embarrassed at Dick's praise and sought to distract him. "I think I should give you your gift now. There's actually two. One's nicer but the other is one I know you'll like better." She gave Dick the nicer gift first. It was in a small neatly wrapped box. Everyone smiled at Dick as he gleefully tore up the gift. It was a bottle of his favorite cologne. Mac loved the scent and knew he was almost out. He thanked her with a quick kiss. Then she handed him a bigger box with an explanation. "I had this especially made just for you!"

He grinned as he tore open the box. He lifted up tissue paper and pulled out a white t-shirt. On the front was a chest sized picture of Mac with the words above that said, "I belong to her!" On the back were the words, "This Dick is taken!" Everyone rolled with laughter as they read the captions. Dick was stunned speechless for a minute. Never in his wildest dreams had he pictured his Mackie making him a shirt like this. In that moment, he couldn't imagine a more perfect gift for himself. He said, "Oh God, you are the most awesomest chick ever, Mackie!" He quickly pulled off the shirt he was wearing not caring who all was in the room. Trina choked on her drink in shocked surprised. She'd forgotten what a nut Logan's surfing buddy was. Dick proudly put on Mac's gift. Then he picked her up in a bear hug and began kissing her.

Wallace groaned, "Cut it out, Dick! We get it! You like the shirt; you like Mac more! Enough already!"

Mac pushed Dick away in embarrassment, but she was pleased he liked his gift so much.

Dick gave Mac his gift for her. Veronica was particularly interested in what Dick chose since he was so secretive about it. She could tell that it was jewelry based on the box it was in. Mac had never had anyone give her jewelry, so she was really stunned when she opened the box to see a beautiful gold plated heart shaped locket attached to a beautiful gold chain. Dick told her to open it. Inside was a picture of the two of them. Mac looked really happy in it. Then Dick excitedly pointed out the inscription on the back. It said "Dick & Mac 4ever". Mac was really touched. Most people gave her books, clothes, or computer related items. Even Veronica usually gave her some type of gadget or electronics. She looked at Dick and for the first time initiated a kiss in front of others. She threw her arms around him and kissed him the way she did when she they were alone but never around others. Dick was surprised at her public display of affection, but he wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Okay, I'm getting out the hose!" Wallace yelled.

Trina commented to Veronica, "Your friend is full of surprises!"

Mac slowly pulled back. She looked at Dick and smiled. "I love my gift! Thank you, Dick!"

He grinned and replied, "You can thank me like that anytime, Mackie!"

After Mac and Dick finished profusely thanking one another for their gifts, Logan handed Veronica a similar box to the one Dick gave Veronica. Veronica had admired Mac's necklace, so she was pleased to see that Logan got her a very similar locket. It was white gold, however. Veronica opened the locket in expectation. She wasn't disappointed but very touched. Unlike Mac's locket, hers had a photo on each side. One was one of Lilly's high school yearbook photos. The other was a christening photo of Lily. The inscription on the back said "Always in my heart." The heart wasn't spelled out but was a small heart engraved.

Veronica looked up at Logan and said softly, "It's perfect. Will you help me put it on?" She handed it to Logan and lifted up her hair. Logan happily complied with her request.

After he fastened the necklace, he placed a quick kiss on the nape of her neck. "I'm glad you like it. I hope you don't mind that Dick got Mac the same gift. He was really freaked out over the pressure of getting her the perfect gift. We went shopping, and he loved the idea when I had this picked out for you."

"I don't mind at all. I kind of like the idea of having the same necklace as my closest girlfriend. It reminds me of those broken heart necklaces Lilly and I got for each other when we were eleven or twelve that said best friends on them. Thanks, Logan. It's wonderful. I love you," Veronica said as she gave him a soft kiss. "I'm not going to give you your gift until tomorrow night."

"Really? Why's that? What did you get me?" Logan asked.

"Not saying and no one knows so don't bother asking!" Veronica proclaimed. She smiled at his pout but refused to give him any hints. She looked up as Wallace shouted in joy at whatever gift Dick got him.

"Oh my God, Dick! I can't believe you found this! I've always wanted one." Wallace said. Veronica looked and saw that Dick had somehow found an old vintage copy of the first game console Atari and the very popular River Raid game. "We are totally going to play this! Will it work on modern TVs?"

"Sure. I naturally played it a few hours just to make sure I wasn't giving you a crap gift!" Dick declared with a wide grin.

Veronica knew she had to intervene before they started playing with their toys. "Okay, stop right there! You guys are not starting that game up now! It's time to head to the restaurant anyway. You can play it when we get back or another day even. Let's throw away the wrappings and start loading up," Veronica ordered. Everyone followed her direction and cleaned up and then headed off to dinner.

Later that night after a great time with their friends, Veronica lay snuggled in Logan's arms. "That was a perfect evening, don't you think?" she asked.

"Yes, it was a great day. Any day that starts off with you agreeing to live with me permanently is a great day in my book," he replied. He placed a kiss on her forehead and added, "Don't get mad, but I would've liked to have had Duncan with us. It didn't seem right for him not to be there."

"I understand, Logan, but I'm just not ready. When I look at him I feel a little bit sick still. He had two people killed and doesn't lose a bit of sleep over it. He can pick up his beautiful daughter and kiss her good night like nothing happened. I just can't get past that. Not yet," Veronica insisted.

"I know it bothers you, Veronica. But have you thought about how as a future FBI agent you may one day be in a position where you have to kill somebody? Sometimes bad people need to be killed. It doesn't make the person who does those necessary, ugly things bad or evil," Logan told her.

"Killing in the line of duty to save lives or keep myself from being killed isn't the same thing as vigilante killing. We can't go around deciding who gets to live and who gets to die, Logan. It's just not right. It gets out of hand easily. Look how many people died because of Cassidy wanting Woody to pay," Veronica reminded him.

"You've got a point. I just hate for you and Duncan to be at odds. I don't want to spend any time away from you on Christmas Day," Logan replied.

"I know it sucks. But it's just for a few hours. And then when I return we'll go out with your sister and Dick, and I'll give you your surprise," she said.

"You're being awfully cagey about my gift. I bet I can get it out of you," he insisted as he rose up and leaned over her.

"I don't think so," she responded.

"I have my ways!" he informed her, and then he began tickling her in all the places he knew were guaranteed to make her squeal.

Veronica giggled and tried to move away from his roaming hands. "You'll never break me!" she declared as she laughed at his actions. She couldn't manage to get out from underneath him because he was using he superior strength to his advantage. "Okay! Okay! Stop!" Veronica begged.

Logan paused in his torment. "Do you give in?"

"Never!" she replied with a saucy grin.

"Well. I guess I'll have to use another method. It's my preferred method anyway," he said as he leaned in and began kissing her neck.

"No fair!" Veronica exclaimed. "You're playing dirty!"

"A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do!" Logan proclaimed as he covered her mouth with his own.

Veronica allowed herself to get lost in his kiss for a few minutes. He was an expert after all. However, she forced herself to break off the kiss. "Honey, you're welcome to have your way with me all you want. But you'll just have to wait until tomorrow night to get your gift. I promise it'll be worth the wait."

"Okay. I'll leave you alone about it, but you've gotta give me something in return," he said suggestively.

"Don't worry, hotlips, I'll make it worth your wild!" Veronica declared as she threw her arms around him and pulled him down. Then she proceeded to make him forget all about his Christmas gift.

After a very pleasant night, Veronica woke up to the sound of pounding on their bedroom door and a way too cheerful Dick saying loudly, "Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas! Time to get up!" _Pound, Pound._

"Cut it out, Dick!" Veronica yelled. "Go away! It's too early to get up!"

"Are you decent? 'Cause I'm coming in!" Dick responded as he gave a five second warning before opening the door.

"Logan, wake up!" Veronica said as she shook him awake. "You've got to deal with Dick! He's lost his mind!" Then she said to Dick, "It's seven o'clock in the morning, Dick! Why are you up? More importantly, why are you waking us up?"

"Cause it's surfing time, baby!" Dick answered with a wide grin.

"Logan can't go surfing yet. You know that. He's not strong enough," Veronica informed him sternly.

Logan finally stirred enough to respond without opening his eyes, "I told Dick that you and I would have a picnic breakfast on the beach while Dick and Wallace communed with the waves."

"Gotta give the birthday boy in the sky His props for the waves, Ronnie! It's us surfer dudes scared responsibility to honor the sea gods. Bad things could happen if you don't pay your respects on important holidays," Dick warned with complete solemnity. He didn't see anything wrong with mixing Christianity with paganism.

Veronica tried not to laugh and managed to choke out, "Okay, Dick. Give us twenty minutes." When Dick closed the door pleased with her easy compliance, she burst out laughing. Choking on laughter, she tried to say to Logan. "Better. Get. Up. Don't want," she paused as Dick's serious face popped in her mind, and she kept snickering unable to finish her sentence. Finally, "to anger the sea gods!" She gave up and rolled on the bed in a fit of giggles. Dick's absurdities knew no bounds.

"Okay, Tinkerbelle! That's enough!" Logan insisted as he finally sat up. "I told you at Thanksgiving that Dick took surfing and holidays very seriously. Don't make fun. You shouldn't knock our tradition. He and I have never had any major accidents riding the waves, and we've swam in some scary parts of the world. Most guys who surf as much as we do can't say the same."

Veronica willed away her laughter and sat up with a grin. She placated him and said, "I'm sorry, sweetie! I didn't mean to blasphemy! But Dick just cracks me up sometimes! Does Mac realize what a complete loon he really is?"

"Hey, that's my boy you're knocking! Dick sees the world in a very simple and clear way. There are no gray areas with Dick. You and I tend to live in those grey areas sometimes. I didn't really appreciate Dick's uncomplicated world view until we started college. He's a good ying to my yang. I'm sure Mac thinks the same thing. Look at you and Wallace. Could two best friends be more different?" Logan pointed out to her.

"Speaking of Wallace. Has Dick sucked him into his cult, too?" Veronica asked.

Logan didn't say anything. He just grinned in response as he finally got out of bed, flashing her his nude, fit backside. Veronica threw a pillow at him as he paraded around the room without a bit of modesty.

"What can I say? Love me, love my Dick!" he punned with a smirk as he pulled on some fresh boxers.

Veronica groaned at his bad pun. "You did _not_ just say that! What have I got myself into?" she wondered aloud.

Veronica and Logan ended up having a really nice time at the beach that morning. They even got Trina up to accompany them. She did complain about the early hour. However, she soon found herself enjoying their time at the beach. It wasn't something she'd ever allowed herself to really do. It was also nice for her to see Logan interact with Veronica. Trina was glad Logan had found someone like Veronica to share his life with. Nevertheless, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of jealousy at the obvious bond between them. Not only didn't she have a close bond with Logan, her only family, the way that Veronica had with Wallace or Logan had with Dick, but she also had never had a man look at her the way Logan looked at Veronica. She knew they tried hard to include her, but she had been gone too much to understand all the jokes and innuendoes. However, she still managed to enjoy the morning with them. She decided that she would make an effort in the future to be more a part of her brother's life. He was the only one who really gave a damn if she lived or died. Everyone needed someone to care. She knew that Logan probably didn't need her since he had so many others, but she needed him.

Veronica found it strange to see Wallace on a surf board, but she adjusted. It was fun laughing at him when he wiped out. After they stayed long enough to satisfy the sea gods, Wallace and Veronica went back to the house to clean up. Then Veronica kissed Logan goodbye, and she and Wallace headed to his mom's. Dick followed their example and then went to Mac's parents to spend the day. He naturally was really excited to have Ryan open the gift he got him. He couldn't wait to play with it with him!

When Veronica and Wallace entered his house they didn't find anyone in the living room. They went together into the kitchen looking for the parentals. They were a bit stunned to see them standing in the middle of the kitchen wrapped in a very hot embrace, oblivious to their arrival. Both of them stood there frozen in shock for a minute. Then Veronica grabbed Wallace and pulled him back before their presence was noticed. She didn't stopped pulling him back until they'd back completely out of the house.

"I think that just completely ruined my appetite!" Wallace complained.

"What? It's great! Our parents our back together for sure! We will get to finally realize our lifelong dream of sharing bunk beds!" Veronica proclaimed.

"Now that you've moved in with Echolls I don't see that happening. But we can make sure the guest room has a set for you when you come visit!" Wallace teased.

"So what should we do now? Should we just ring the bell?" Veronica inquired.

"We should ring the bell, go on in, and then announce our presence very loudly!" Wallace suggested with a grin. "I don't want to walk into another scene like that one!"

While Veronica and Wallace spend their day with their family, Logan and Trina had a quiet morning together. Since Duncan and Lily were eating with Duncan's family, he prepared lunch for just the two of them. Duncan and Lily would be over around two or so. Logan tried to get Trina to talk about her life. She did the dodge thing she was good at. She talked around an answer and told him a bunch of things he didn't ask about. Finally, Logan said, "Trina, stop. I don't want to know about the life you tell reporters. I want to know about your _actual_ life. Who's important to you, what you want to do with your life, or what plans you have. Talk to me."

Trina stopped and looked at him a moment to gauge his sincerity. Finally, she answered softly, "I don't know, Logan. I guess there's not much to tell. I seem to be floating from place to place. I keep hoping I'll break out of the B rated acting label, but I don't think it's going to happen. I've never wanted to do anything but act and be famous like Dad. I move around so much I haven't really made any close ties like you. I guess my life is pretty pathetic."

Logan moved next to her on the couch and put his arm around her shoulder. "Maybe you should think seriously about not flitting from place to place. Why don't you try to grow some roots and build something real and lasting for a change, Trina? You could stay here in Neptune," Logan offered.

"Here? Why? You don't need me. You have Veronica and Dick and everyone else. I don't think there's anything I have to offer you," Trina replied dejectedly.

"Why would you think that? You're my sister. My only real family. Sure I've managed to create a family unit of sorts with Dick and company, but they can't replace you-my actual sister," Logan informed.

"I'm just your adopted sister. We aren't any more blood related than you are to Dick," Trina told him.

"How can you say that? Since when have you ever been treated by anyone, especially me, as if you weren't really an Echolls? Heck, our dad much rather have had you as his blood child anyway! You were much better at dealing with the spotlight than I ever was," Logan said.

Trina gave him a small smile. "Why are you so nice? I've never been nice to you."

"Well, Veronica taught me how to be nice. I was awful to her after Lilly died, and she managed to help me get through mom's death anyway. She taught me the meaning of forgiveness and unconditional love. Loving someone means you don't put conditions on it or limitations. A person doesn't earn love. It's given freely. I know we've never been close, but I'd really like that to change. I almost died, Trina. Who knows when our number's up? I'd hate for either one of us to leave this life with regrets. It meant a lot to me that you came to the hospital and finally talked to me. I honestly thought that I was a complete orphan without any family. Having you come see me then and now makes me really happy. I hope you know that," Logan said sincerely to her.

Trina's eyes filled with tears at his words, but she managed a smile. "I'm glad I came, too. I never realized what it'd feel like to be completely alone until you almost died. I know you have a lot of people and don't really need me, but you're all I have, Logan. Without you, I am truly alone. The thought of that terrifies me."

"I love you, Trina. I want you to know that. You'll never be alone. In fact, I think you should stay here in Neptune. Maybe take some acting classes at Hearst. You seemed to really like directing that play for Neptune High. Have you thought about maybe doing something like again? You could use your vast experience and talent and pass on it to young, impressionable teens who don't know enough not to be impressed by you!" he teased.

Trina smiled. "I do love you, Logan. I'm sorry I've not always acted like it. And I will think about what you said. Thanks. You're a good brother."

Logan was happy to have finally got through to his sister. He did hope she would consider his suggestion. He'd get Veronica to take a go at her. No one was more persuasive than his woman!

Veronica was relieved that her dad took the news of her plans to move permanently in with Logan so well. She finally asked him why he wasn't upset.

"Well, honey, I knew you weren't going to leave his side anyway. It was only a matter of time before you made it official," Keith said.

"Why were you so sure?" Veronica wondered.

"When he was shot, I finally realized that Logan was the most important person in your life. It's not easy for a dad to admit that he's not number one in his little girl's heart, but Logan has more than shown he's worthy," Keith replied.

"No one can replace you, Daddy. You'll always be important to me," Veronica insisted.

"I know, honey. But when you grow up and get your own family, it's normal for them to come first. Someday when you and Logan have your own kids you'll understand," her dad told her.

"So you think Logan and I will have our own kids someday? Do you really think we'll make it, Dad?" Veronica asked.

"Yes, sweetie, I really do. Logan has more than proved there is nothing he won't do for you. And I know when he almost died you realized how much you needed him and how crucial he was to you. I think there's enough love between the two of you to work through any problems that come up. Relationships fall apart, Veronica, when people give up. If only one person is fighting to make things work, then failure is inevitable. But I know you and Logan want things to work equally, so you'll both do whatever it takes," Keith explained confidently.

"I'm really glad you think that, Dad. You're faith in us means a lot to me. I have a surprise for Logan tonight that will prove to him how much faith I, too, have in our future. I'll call you tonight and tell you about it. I haven't told anyone yet because I want him to be surprised. He's going to love it! At least I hope he will," Veronica said.

"I'm sure whatever you give Logan he will love, honey. You can't really do much wrong with him anyway!" Keith said with a smile. Veronica gave her dad a hug, not wanting to continue the line of conversation. She was afraid she'd weaken and tell her dad about her surprise. She was a bit nervous but mostly excited about tonight. She couldn't wait!

Duncan and Lily arrived at Logan's bearing gifts. Duncan had gotten Trina a very expensive new handbag. She opened the gift with a squeal. She loved pretty, pricey things. She was pleasantly surprised to discover that Duncan had bought her a very beautiful Gucci handbag. "Oh my God, Duncan! How did you know? This is their latest addition. It's too much, but you can't have it back!"

"Actually, my mom gets credit for that one. I asked her what would be a good gift for you, and she said I couldn't go wrong with Gucci. So I went to the store that carried their products and described you to the sales lady and there you go! It was really easy! I'm relieved the nice lady picked out the one you liked. I was hopeful but not convinced it was to your taste. I'm glad you like it. Lilly thought it a good choice, too," he replied smiling at Lily who pointed at Trina's new handbag.

"Pritty perse, Daddy. I want one!" Lilly demanded.

They laughed. Logan said, "Yep, she's more like your sister every day! Better keep her away from department stores before she figures out how to use the Kane name to charge things!"

While Trina occupied Lily by transferring her items from her old purse to the new handbag, Duncan took the opportunity to have a private chat with Logan.

"It really sucks, Logan, that Ronnie's still giving me the freeze out. How long do you figure I'll be in the dog house with her?" Duncan asked.

"I know, Duncan. It's not fun. No one knows better than me how it feels to have her mad at you. You've had a lot less experience with her like this, so let me give you some advice. If you want her to forgive you, don't let her freeze you out. Usually a bit of space in the beginning is good. However, if you give her too much space, she'll hang on to her anger and stick to what she thinks is her moral high ground. Wear her down, man! Be in her face with puppy dog looks and sad sighs. Wallace is right. She's really a marshmallow. She loves you and doesn't like being upset with you. She especially doesn't like spending less time with Lily because of it. Use Lily if you have to," Logan advised.

"What? Use my own daughter to manipulate your girlfriend? And I'm the bad guy? Sheesh, Logan. That's twisted!" Duncan exclaimed.

"Hey now, I learned how to manipulate from Veronica herself. She uses anything at her disposal. I've seen her in action, my friend. It's not like your trying to manipulate her to take advantage of her or hurt her. That I wouldn't allow. You're just trying to get her to let go of her anger and forgive you. I say use whatever works! Trust me. She can't stay mad forever. Catch her alone, plead your case, and then constantly be in her face with Lily. She'll cave. I know it," Logan assured him with a knowing grin.

Duncan smiled and thought about what Logan said. "You may be right. I'll try anything at this point. I don't what the new year to be like this."

Logan decided to change the subject and asked, "So have you heard from Jazmin? How's she doing?"

"Yes, I talked to her just this morning. She called to thank me for the gift I sent her. She's happy to be home, but I sense that it's not easy for her to be back in her parent's house. There's something there, but she's really private. I've not got her to open up to me yet. I'm crazy about her, Logan. I've not liked anyone like this since Veronica, but I'm not always sure she feels the same way. She keeps a part of herself from me," Duncan admitted.

"Don't let that bother you, man. All the best girls are complicated. Dick would say the same thing about Mac, and you and I both know how Veronica is. Everyone has their own issues. Jazmin has a whole other life in another state. I know she'll share when she's ready. You just got to be patient and let her know that you're there for her. It'll happen. Meg seemed like an open book, but you and Veronica never knew about the twisted things her dad was doing to her little sister even when you dated her. Jazmin's a keeper, Duncan. I really like her, so don't screw it up!" Logan warned with a grin.

"I don't plan to! I wish she wasn't so far away. I'd love to spend the holidays with her," Duncan said.

"You should go see her for New Years. Surprise her," Logan suggested.

"Maybe. That's a good idea. But Lily's birthday is the day before then. I don't want to leave her," Duncan said.

"She's two. She won't notice. We'll go out and celebrate on the 30th and shower her with attention. Then when you leave her for 2 days, she'll have lots of gifts to play with!" Logan suggested.

"Well, my parents went over board with the gifts this year since it is their first Christimas with Lily. But I get the picture. We'll plan something great for her," Duncan said.

Trina came over and told the guys that she and Lily wanted to go to the beach. So the boys go up and went outside to play with their favorite little princess.

That night, Veronica, Dick, Logan, and Trina headed out to a late dinner. They all had enjoyed a great Christmas. Dick had a wonderful time with Mac's family. He'd never really had family Christmases, so he found spending time with the Mackenzie's to be really amazing. Her little brother Ryan was a lot of fun. He loved the game Dick bought him. They even convinced Mac's dad to play a game or two. Mac was really impressed because her dad usually avoided electronic games. But not even her dad was immune to Dick's excited persuasion. Dick tried to convince Mac to join them for dinner, but she declined. She felt she should stay at her parents for the night for quality family time. She knew how much it meant to her mom. Wallace had felt the same way and declined Veronica's invitation to join them. He had wanted to spend break reconnecting with his little brother Darrel. Things hadn't been the same between them since the whole Roger fiasco.

The four of them had a nice, relaxed dinner. Veronica was sitting next to Logan with Dick directly across from her and Trina sitting next to him. After the server cleared the dessert dishes, Veronica finally presented Logan with a neatly wrapped, small box. It was tied with a red bow. "Logan, after this year I have become a person of faith. I have faith that you and I are so much better together than we are apart. I have faith that we can overcome any obstacle that is thrown our way, if we are together. You've taught me that I can't plan everything and that it's okay to expect the unexpected. But one thing I know I can plan on and expect is a future with you."

He gave her a questioning look, and Veronica told him to go ahead and open the box. He did and took out a medium sized jewelry box. Before he could open it, she placed her hand on his and said to him, "Logan, I want you to trust that I don't just love you, but I believe in us; I believe in our future. I know that even if we fight and disagree, we will work things out. You've convinced me that you and I are fated to be together and that there's nothing you won't do for me. I know now without any doubt or reservations that I want to spend the rest of my life with you," she informed him.

She opened the jewelry box for him and everyone looked at the small, solitaire princess cut diamond ring on a white gold band nestled next to a larger matching male band. Everyone looked expectantly at Veronica. She smiled at Logan with tears in her eyes. "These are promise rings for us. I want everyone to know how committed I am to you, Logan. I want us to get married as soon as we graduate from college,"

Dick interrupted, "Dude, she's proposing! That totally rocks!"

Logan wanted to tell him to shut up, but he was a bit overwhelmed. He looked at the rings again and looked up at Veronica. She continued, "I want to publically promise in front of your sister and your best friend that I will marry you, Logan Echolls. I want to belong to you in every way. I'll leave it to you to formally propose in a few years! But I wanted to put any doubts to rest that you may have. I love you, and I want everyone to know that we belong to each other. Will you wear my ring?"

Logan finally gave her a slow smile filled with warmth and so much joy at her gesture. Never had he imagined that this was the surprise she had for him. He hadn't been sure she would even agree to move in with him permanently. Now she was asking _him_ to marry _her_! Or at least promising to do so when they finish college. She even bought a symbol for them both to wear as proof of her commitment. He was sincerely moved.

He pulled out the male white, gold band. He saw an inscription inside the band, "I belong to VM."

"I see you're taking cues from Mac now," he said referring to Mac's t-shirt gift to Dick. He grinned and put on the ring with pleasure. It fit perfectly. It felt a bit strange to have a ring on the finger that had never worn jewelry. He pulled out the matching female ring. The diamond cut looked to be only a .15 or .20ct. When he did propose, he'd get her a much bigger diamond. He looked at the band and sure enough it was inscribed with "I belong to LE."

Logan grabbed her left hand and placed the ring on it. "It will be my pleasure to wear your ring, Veronica Mars. I look forward to the day you become Veronica Echolls."

"Veronica Mars-Echolls," she interjected with a smile.

"I don't care what you call yourself as long you call yourself mine," he replied. "I love you and cannot wait to someday marry you!"

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her while Trina and Dick clapped and whistled. He finally broke off the kiss. As he looked over at his sister who was trying to subtly wipe the tears in her eyes and at Dick who was wearing his ear splitting grin, he never knew he could be this happy. He never imagined that this year that had started with Veronica breaking his heart and breaking up with him would end with her publicly committing to him permanently. He couldn't help but feel like his mom was in heaven putting in a good word with the Big Guy in the sky. She'd be so pleased to see him with Veronica.

"Thank you, Veronica. It's the best Christmas gift I have ever had! You are the best thing that's ever happened to me, and I know we will have many Christmases just as perfect as this one!" Logan declared.

"I wanted to make sure you believed and trusted that I wasn't going anywhere and that I did love you every bit as much as you loved me. You're getting shot made it really clear, Logan, that I don't want to live another day without you by my side," she responded.

"I told you that I wasn't going anywhere. We're epic, Ronnie! Someday songs will be written about us!" he proclaimed.

Dick and Trina laughed. "Dude, I'll write you a song. It's easy." He got up and started singing at the top of his lungs, "Logan Echolls is my man! He's a killer surfer dude and Veronica Mar's number one fan. He loves her a whole lot. For her, many a battle has been fought. She finally put him out of his misery by proposing and giving him a surprising delivery. No longer is she rich dude kryptonite, but has finally surrendered to Logan without a fight!"

Veronica covered her face in embarrassment as Trina finally succeeded in pulling Dick back down to his seat. But not before Dick took a bow at the few claps and whistles his spontaneous song generated. "See. Piece of cake!" Dick boasted with a huge grin.

Logan smiled fondly at his best friend. "I think it could become a breakaway hit, Dick."

Veronica groaned. "Don't encourage him!"

"Hey, remember: Love me, love my Dick!" Trina and Dick burst out laughing. Veronica leaned over and whispered something naughty for Logan's ears only. Whatever she said to him had the desired reaction. He pulled out his wallet and threw the credit card on the table. "You guys are going to have to find your own way home. Veronica and I have to go!" With that he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the restaurant before they could respond. She giggled as she allowed herself to be pulled along. She was so happy right now. She knew that this was just the beginning of memories they would build together. She couldn't wait!

THE END

_I hope the wait was worth it! Did you love it? Please let me know! I tried to cover everything I could think of. I hope it wasn't too much, but I had trouble leaving the story! I do plan on writing a sequel that will begin a week after this, but it won't be centered as much around Logan and Veronica. Thanks so much for all your support and reviews. Your encouragement has made this a lot of fun and has made me want to continue the story!_


	32. Chapter 32

**Author's Note**

Sorry, this is not a new chapter. I just wanted to add a note to this story and let you know that this tale continues in another story. It takes place just a week after "Tear Away the Mask" ended. The sequel is entitled "The Ties That Bind." It is primarily MaDi centered and is labeled a MaDi story. However, it does feature _all_ the characters we love. Jazmin does feature prominently in it. I am also bringing in her twin brother, Jason, who will serve as a foil for Duncan in some ways. He will also be Weevil's new sidekick.

I have also finished a third sequel called "Road to Epic" (a LoVe tale) that begins with the summer before their junior year. The story is not finished, so author alert and you will be sent the new story when I post it. It may take longer for the next installment since I'm busy with the school year. Please, take a minute and tell me how you liked my story! Since the story is completed, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't nick-pick. I probably won't go back and change major details to suit you at this point. Give your feedback to a story I am still posting, and I will definitely listen! Thanks in advance.


End file.
